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There was a time where a big deal with a sports personality was enough for sports marketing. However, that is no longer the case. There is a saturation of advertising and brands are trying to stand out above the rest at every turn. Brands and sport franchises are trying to make a deeper connection with the public, and it shows. The growth in the industry is all thanks to the trends that are set every year. Continue reading to learn about the current sports marketing trends driving industry growth.
Women In Sports
It has been reported that 84% of casual sports fans find women’s sport more motivational, inspirational and progressive. In contrast, male sport is seen as driven by money. This report has led market researchers to invest time in creating adverts with women sports as their main focus. There are examples by Nike, with their advert “Dream Crazier” and women’s football has played a significant part in sports advertising throughout, not only the sports industry, but other areas. Brands are also beginning to back women sports and show support with sponsorships, in a hope to grow the market and encourage women into sport.
VR & AR
We are still in very early days of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. However, this has not stopped clubs offering fans an immersive experience related to their favorite club. The German football team, Bayern Munich, game up with a virtual experience in 2017 where fans where able to include themselves in selfies with their favorite players. They also included the feature on their app, and the results showed an increase in revenue.
Social Media
It is no secret that social media has a huge impact on the society with live in today. It is important for sports clubs and athletes to recognize the value of social channels online. These channels allow fans to have an interaction with their favorite sport or athlete, while also providing them with a constant access to the sport they love. Moreover, social platforms offer fans numerous social media sharing options. Using social media to promote a product, or having an athlete promote the product for you, is a huge reason that the industry has seen the growth it has.
Cause Marketing
Using big names to raise awareness of serious issues is becoming a major trend in sports marketing. And results show that it is working. Campaigns for charities or to get more people involved in sports are grounding themselves in real life, and not using models or actors with physiques we can only dream of. They are using real people from real locations.
Sports Betting
Moreover, sports are more interactive than ever. In countries around the world, fans are watching and betting on games. The sports betting industry is seeing a massive increase of players. Online betting sites such as Comeon! are attracting hundreds of new players every day. This is, in turn, attracting more and more people to sports and increasing the awareness for each game. Additionally, spectators are more invested in the outcome of the event.
Children Target Audience
Furthermore, marketing toward children in sports is driving industry growth. This sports marketing idea entails taking risks for many brands. Sports brands have always targeted adults. By adding children into the mix, the industry’s target audience expands significantly. Many parents long to get their kids involved in sports to improve their health. Therefore, it is not a difficult age group to target. This sports marketing trend is driving industry growth across the globe.
Inspirational Campaigns
In addition to the above trends, sports brands continue to promote industry growth with inspirational campaigns. They transitioned from functional campaigns to motivational ones. Rather than showcasing facts, the top campaigns aim to inspire their target audiences. Sports brands selling pain relief braces attract more customers with this method. They increase sales by encouraging athletes to think about their aspirations rather than their injuries. Follow this sports marketing trend to understand the industry’s growth.
The sports industry is an industry that almost markets itself due to the popularity of sports in society. That being said, there are constantly new ways to improve marketing strategies that will continue to show a growth in the industry. You need more than the most common small business advertising ideas. The industry continues to prosper due to new audiences, social media and cause marketing. Sports betting and inspirational campaigns also increase industry growth.
