audio
We don’t want to preach as a brand, we’re not that pretentious. We want to tap into the supporters’ passion, let them have a say.
Where brand purpose once was little more than a line in a mission statement, it’s now key. It’s all about the why. But where do innovation and new technologies come into all this? How do we balance them out? What does your purpose mean for the fans? And more importantly, how do they benefit from it? Sports brands must go beyond purpose and tap into the obsession they share with their fan base.
A keychain as a brand activation just won’t do any more.
As is
To have a right to exist as a brand, it used to be enough to have your logo printed on a shirt. That was enough to make yourself known with the public. A banner on the field, a logo on the player’s collar and done was the deal. Today, fans expect more of a brand, especially when it enters into their personal sports sphere. Because watching the game isn't some simple pastime, it’s about being around your people, about a feeling of belonging and finding your tribe. Identifying with a team or a player isn’t limited to the game any more, it's non-stop, both on- and offline. So is reaching out to your audience and making yourself known.
Much more than pushing just a brand logo, we get social, we activate by bringing a relevant message that resonates with the target group.
Could be
If your brand was a person, what type of person would it be? Does it showcase integrity or greed? Does it walk the talk or walk without looking back? Without making a judgement on which are preferable, the importance of brand character traits can’t be ignored when talking about brand activation. Neither is being consistent and aligned with the purpose of your club or following. If you say you care, you better damn well care. And when you set up a CSR program to empower those who could make it if someone would just give them that little push in the right direction, you match your medium with the receiver. You want to reach the youngsters? Make it interactive, make it move.
Remember, caring doesn't mean you have to be a preacher, nor a saint. It means that people trust people who do as they say and speak the same language they do. And for the sports fans out there, there's a human behind every logo, so you’d better act like one, whether it's on- or offline.