When it comes to building meaningful relationships between brands and sports fans, activations provide endless opportunity. From exposure and sponsorship to data collection and brand awareness, activation events successfully engage fans of all ages. Read on to learn more about sports activations and discover our top ten tips to make your sports events more exciting.
What are sports activations?
Sports activations, also known as sports sponsorship activations, are essentially a clever form of marketing that is designed to generate excitement, create memorable experiences and drive engagement within sporting events and communities. Successful activations should:
● Use imaginative tactics to capture minds and boost engagement
● Target the needs of the audience
● Influence consumers’ buying habits, even after games, tournaments and events have ended.
What are the benefits of sports activations?
When it comes to sports marketing, activations really are the way to go. Here are the most appealing benefits of sports sponsorship activations:
Increased brand awareness
Sports activations can help small businesses meet a very important goal - putting their name out there and increasing brand awareness. Through the use of games, interactive activities and clever merchandising, brands will be able to expand their reach and establish themselves in the sports industry.
Campaigns across several platforms
Another advantage of sports activations for events is that you’ll be able to orchestrate a coordinated campaign across several platforms. From stadiums, areas and race tracks to Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, you will be able to target consumers both in real life and on digital sites. This combination of channels will be used heavily by attendees to find out more information about the event. For your brand, this means having a unique opportunity both before and after the event: the opportunity to attract the audience's attention while they are discussing a decision or sharing a highlight. In many cases, you’ll be able to hold this attention for an extended period of time - remember, the more prospective customers see your brand, the more likely they are to associate it with the favourite sport they love and follow.
Enhanced fan engagement
Another key benefit of sports activations is the ability to enhance fan engagement. Interactive activities, such as mini-games, challenges, and virtual reality experiences, create a dynamic environment that captivates attendees. These activations not only entertain but also foster a sense of connection between fans and the event. By actively involving fans in the experience, sports activations create lasting memories and forge stronger bonds between attendees and the sport or event.
Opportunities for athlete interaction
Sports activations also offer unique opportunities for fans to interact with their favourite athletes. Celebrity meet and greets, autograph sessions, and photo opportunities allow attendees to connect with sports personalities on a more personal level. These interactions create cherished memories for fans and provide athletes with a chance to engage with their supporters. Athlete involvement in sports activations also helps to inspire and motivate aspiring athletes, invoking a sense of connection and admiration for the sport.
Top 10 sports activations ideas for your next event
If you’re considering planning a sports event, there are plenty of sports sponsorship activation ideas for you to try. Here are a few popular options to get you started:
Sponsoring eSports leagues
The eSports market has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. Accessible to sports fans of all genders, ages and physical abilities, eSports cover multiplayer video games played competitively for spectators - typically by professional gamers. By sponsoring these teams, brands can promote their products to larger audiences and create a more interactive experience for fans. For example, a few years ago dating app brand Bumble partnered with Gen.G, an esports organisation with offices in Los Angeles, Korea and Shanghai, to create one of the first all women professional Fortnite teams, Team Bumble. This was a great way to get their brand message across and widen their target demographic.
Exclusive fan experiences
If you want to add a touch of luxury to your sporting event, consider investing in exclusive fan experiences. Not only will they drive away boredom ahead of the game but they can also provide a cool haven to cool off on hot summer days. American Express is a good example of this - for instance, their extravagant fan experience at the US Open included branded kiosks, a social wall, interactive tennis games, a sitting area, and photo walls.
Branded merchandise
Merchandise is an effective way to increase brand awareness and maximise customer loyalty at sporting events. Putting your logo on sports clothing, equipment and more is a great way to ensure as many people as possible are aware of your brand. Plus, for sports fans there’s nothing more unifying than proudly displaying the kit and colours of their favourite team.
VR game booths
In the interactive age, virtual reality is becoming a lucrative way for companies to engage their audiences. Extremely popular during sporting events, VR booths can provide an exciting source of entertainment for sports fans, as people of all ages and gaming experiences can enjoy testing their virtual accuracy and competing for high scores. For example, fans can go skiing down virtual slopes or experience the adrenaline rush of skydiving.
Selfie contests and photo opportunities
Photography is an innovative way to increase engagement at sporting events. Crowd-sourced selfies often generate a significant buzz as a sporting event sponsor, with companies encouraging attendees to post their selfies on social media with the event’s hashtag and reward the best-voted picture. This is also very effective at driving traffic to digital platforms and promoting new products or services from sponsors in an authentic way.
Another visual tactic to keep event attendees engaged is the use of photo booths and branded photo walls. In the social media age, there’s nothing online users love more than snapping pictures of all the fun things they’ve been up to. A branded photo wall is a great opportunity for professional-level photos that event attendees will hold onto for a long time to come. Better still is that the photo wall is often branded with the sponsor’s name, making their involvement impossible to forget.
Fan zones
Fan zones have become more popular in recent years and provide the perfect space to generate excitement about a sporting event. In the fan zone, set up various engaging activities like target shooting, penalty shootouts, or interactive games that simulate popular sports. Include a leaderboard to encourage competition among attendees and offer exclusive event merchandise or discounts as prizes.
Sponsorship challenges
Collaborate with event sponsors to create interactive challenges that attendees can participate in. For example, a brand could set up a target shooting challenge, where participants have to hit targets to win exclusive merchandise or discounts. This not only promotes sponsor engagement but also adds a fun and competitive element to the event.
Sports exhibitions
Consider creating dedicated exhibition areas showcasing sports memorabilia, equipment, and historical moments. You could collaborate with sports museums or collectors to display iconic items like jerseys, trophies, or equipment used by famous athletes. Include interactive displays and information panels to educate attendees about the history and significance of the sport.
Games and quizzes
Set up interactive games that attendees can participate in. This could include activities like mini-golf, inflatable obstacle courses, or even virtual reality-based sports challenges. Provide prizes for winners and engage attendees of all ages and skill levels.
Fan contests
Organise various fan contests to encourage engagement and reward the most passionate supporters. This could include competitions for best-dressed fan, loudest supporter, most creative sign, or even trivia challenges about the sport or event. You could offer exclusive merchandise, VIP upgrades, or meet and greet opportunities as prizes to motivate participation.
Provision Events - the brand activation agency for you
Engage, surprise and capture the minds of potential customers across the globe with Provision Events. With our innovative corporate event ideas, we’re the brand activation agency to shine a positive light on your brand or event. From roadshows to fan zones, we have extensive expertise in providing engaging, interactive experiences for sports enthusiasts around the world. Please contact us today for more information on our fantastic services.
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