The Digital revolution in media and consumer engagement has created many new ways to reach fans but many of the fundamentals remain the same today as they always have. The key to successful sponsorship, content creation and media engagement is still based on telling a good story and telling it well.
That was the clear message to emerge from a great morning at the Digital Future of Sport 2015 event at Dublin’s Smock Alley Theatre yesterday.
It was a session of insight and real sharing of knowledge between speakers from across the spectrum of the Sport for Business membership and those present at Smock Alley Theatre.
You can capture some of the highlights from all those present via the Fan Hub page created on social media and viewable here but in an effort to distil some of the thought leadership on display we have picked out a number of highlight takeaways here…
Our sponsorship activation panel included Debbie Byrne for Lifestyle Sports, Gavin McAllister from Three and Karl Donnelly from Heineken.
- “All of the reactive content that delivers best is planned well in advance, created ready to go as the moment arrives and distributed through appropriate channels.”
- “Globally relevant video content is a critical tool for reaching our audience.”
- “Determining your brand role in the online conversation is critical to get right.”
- “Every event, every game has a different story. We need to run that against what our objectives are for our sponsorship.”
- “Sponsorship measurement and evaluation is critical. We have to know what is working, estimate why it is and target our spending in the right places.”
The Gaming Panel included Ciaran Davies of SportsCarver and Trev Keane of SportEgo, both of whom have taken different approaches to gaming and how it can be relevant for rights holders and brands.
Our content panel really had the social channels humming. Paul Collins came hotfoot from the TodayFM studios to join James Toney of Sportsbet and Denis Crushell from Tubular Labs who had flown in from London to be with us.
- “Authenticity travels best for online videos”
- “TV and YouTube are as different as Radio and TV”
- “Huge production costs don’t necessarily equate to huge views – compelling content can be created without huge budgets.”
- “The mediums may have changed but the stories remain the same.”
- “You can’t sell TV rights for millions and then let others come in and steal your rights.”
- “There seems to have developed a real dividing line between what’s shared socially by a fan or an accredited journalist.”
- “Whatever your sport it’s ultimately about the stories of the players and the teams – use content to tell those stories.”
The media panel brought together representatives of three of the biggest media enterprises in Ireland with John Greene of the Sunday Independent, Mark Deering of Sky and Cliona O’Leary of RTÉ Sport. They provided a robust defence of mainstream vs fragmented media and insisted they will be around and dominating for longer than many in social circles might have forecast.
- “Social interaction, synchronicity and sensory stimulus are the three fundamental requirements of good media coverage.”
- “You need to ensure that your audience is being informed and entertained across all platforms at all times.”
- “Media must be authoritative, informative and credible. Coverage,content and sponsors must reflect those values. Trust is a huge element in what credible media nurtures and delivers.”
- “When you take to twitter as a respected news source there is a real duty of care to what you see and what you share.”
- “The most viewed Rugby World Cup content on Independent.ie was Japan vs South Africa. Not many would have forecast that.”
- “You have to adapt content to fit the media chosen by the consumer.”
- “RTE Sport will have access to 36 live screens next year in Rio compared to 12 in London. There is an insatiable appetite for sport.”
The morning was rounded off by a great presentation from Rob Quick of Epsilon on the idea of fan-cenytric marketing and how that has and can really deliver for rights holders and sponsor brands. We will share those insights with members over the coming days.
Special thanks are due to the management of Smock Alley Theatre who provided such a wonderful historic setting for talking about the future and to GourmetFuel who kept everyone energised throughout the morning before capping things off with a wonderful home made Irish stew. This was venue catering par excellence from a great team.
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