By Stephanie Sones
Step aside, bodybuilders. You’re not the only ones extending your sore biceps for that container of protein powder. Media and government focus on health and fitness has increased the nation’s awareness of their exercise and diet regimen, driving demand of fitness products beyond athletes to average consumers embarking on a healthy lifestyle.
According to Global Information and Global Industry Analysts, Inc., the global market for fitness nutrition products is projected to reach $6.17 billion by 2018, while the market for sports foods and drinks is expected to reach $55 billion by 2018.
To sustain this growth, manufacturers and marketers must look beyond professional bodybuilders to fitness enthusiasts, amateur athletes and above all, women. The rise of female-targeted athletic apparel, marathons and event-like races creates opportunities for sports nutrition producers to reach this demographic. Some major players have begun to capitalize on this trend by offering extensions for the casual user to incorporate in their busy, healthy lifestyle.
We take a look below at how some brands are already connecting to the female fitness fanatics, while others have yet to get on board.
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Tags: Designer Whey, Fitfluential, fitness, health, Pinterest
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By Stephanie Sones
We’re in the midst of one of the biggest sports competitions of the year. Not March Madness. Or the Masters. Or the NBA Finals. Or the Sprint Cup Series.
The one that will crown the fittest on earth: The CrossFit Games.
Since its inaugural game in 2007, the brand that made fitness a sport has exploded among athletes as it blurs the line between amateur and professional.
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Tags: athletes, Crossfit, ESPN, fitness, Progenex, Reebok, Rogue
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By Matt Bivons
The app economy is booming. Actually, booming may be an understatement; it’s exploding. The mobile app ecosystem is poised to continue an exponential growth rate for the unforeseeable future. According to the App Developers Alliance “The market for mobile apps is growing, and growing fast. Innovation and strong businesses are driving that growth but we are all benefiting from it. Better apps, better services and more opportunity for businesses to thrive is good for us all.”
However, this should not be surprising. In 2008 there were 900 apps available for download in the App Store; a year later there were 65,000. In less than 12 months, the app ecosystem was multiplied by 72. While it took the Android Market (now Google Play) a little longer to catch up, today both app stores have over 750,000 apps available to download.
At its current pace, there are close to 641 new apps in the App Store per day – and more than 19,000 new apps every month.
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Tags: Android, emerging media, Google Play, iPhone, iTunes, mobile, Mobile App, Mobile Application, mobile marketing
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By Social Marketing Team
If you’re not calling upon social advocates as an extension to your wellness brand’s advocacy efforts, it’s time. Nielsen’s Global Trust Advertising Survey found 92 percent of consumers around the world say they trust earned media, such as word-of-mouth and recommendations, above all forms of advertising. Online consumer reviews are the second most trusted form of advertising. These influential brand ambassadors make up just 1 percent of a brand’s social community, but they are primarily the ones driving the conversation and the shares.
Although 1 percent of your social audience may not sound like a lot, they can make a significant impact. This group of loyalists can drive up to 70 percent of traffic to any given campaign. Identifying these influencers who are driving the conversations is the first step to understanding the audience in your social community.
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Tags: brand ambassadors, Brand ROI, consumer marketing, Nike, Sports Marketing, Under Armour
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By Stephanie Sones
March Madness is one of the rare events like the Super Bowl where fans actually tune into the live action – even during the workday. Last year, USA Today reported that 86 percent of people who plan to watch the games would devote time during their workday to check the scores, stats, or even watch a live feed. With the NCAA expanding the availability of their live feeds through multiple digital platforms this year, that number will likely grow.
With millions of American participating in office, friend and family pools, the popularity of the brackets draws a more broad and diverse demographic than other sporting events, giving marketers a chance to reach a wide audience at almost any point during the day for an entire month. And thanks to the Super Bowl, we already know where they’re interacting: Twitter and mobile. We take a look at ways to utilize these popular forums to get the most out of your marketing efforts:
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Tags: Basketball, March Madness, NCAA, Nike, oreo, Oscars, second screen, social marketing, Special K, Sports Marketing, Super Bowl, Twitter, Under Armour
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By IMRE Sports
So you’re using social media to boost your teams’ brand image, but are you really doing it right? If you want an example of two teams that get it, check out the Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets. They’re two organizations maximizing their fan engagement through their social channels.
Here are a few ways to use your social channels to obtain audience engagement for your team or brand:
Create a voice – Give your team personality by creating a voice that is unique to your organization. Spice it up a little with something containing interesting, exclusive information or pictures that can’t be found anywhere else. A touch of personality doesn’t hurt. The Clippers do an amazing job at being personable through Pinterest, where they post quirky photos of pranks teammates pull on each other while on the road. After the voice or personality of the team is solidified, you’ll find it much easier to follow through with the remaining steps.
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Tags: Basketball, Brooklyn Nets, Facebook, Instagram, Los Angeles Clippers, NBA, Pinterest, social marketing, Vine
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By Andrea Cohen
Major brands and sports publications seem to be perplexed by female sports fans. Not all, but a troubling amount that has led to backlash from fans.
In the past year we’ve seen leagues like the NFL and MLB make strides in identifying and connecting with their female fan bases. It was a slow and steady maturation, but has brought the need to engage the female sports audience – you know, the one that accounts for 34 percent of sports viewership – to the forefront.
Now that football season is over, more attention moves to sports like basketball and hockey. Despite this year’s NHL lockout, the league’s steady growth in fan attention has put its ability to connect with female fans under the microscope – a demographic that makes up 40.8 percent of fans at NHL games.
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Tags: Female Sports Fans, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports Marketing, Washington Capitals
Posted in Fan Engagement, Sports Marketing | 1 Comment »
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By Stefen Lovelace
Michael Jordan turns 50 on Sunday. This week has been a celebration of all things Jordan, as major outlets have examined Jordan’s career, legacy, impact on the game, and most memorable highlights. On the court, he’s the best basketball player to ever play the game. His impact off of it has been just as impressive, as he helped the game become (arguably) the second most popular sport, and is a primary reason for the game’s exponential grown and global reach.
From a marketing standpoint, Jordan changed the game. When Nike signed him in the 90s, they branded him as the face of their basketball franchise, a move that proved lucrative as Jordan quickly transformed into the most effective pitchman on the planet. Jordan retired in 2003, but his Jordan Brand still owns a 58 percent market share in the U.S. basketball shoe market.
Jordan’s crossover appeal allowed Nike to dedicate billboards and commercials to him, and consumers continue to come in droves. But now, brands can’t just plaster an athlete’s face on an ad and hope to move product. The amount of stars have made the landscape more competitive, so innovation and real fan engagement is the best way to use athletes effectively.
For brands, the first step is sponsoring an athlete. But the steps that follow are the most important. Here are three ways brands can get maximum ROI when working with athletes.
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Tags: athletes, Basketball, Brand Marketing, Facebook, Instagram, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Nike, Pepsi, social networking, sponsorship, Sports Marketing, Twitter, Under Armour
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By Stephanie Sones
While some blame advances in technology for the childhood obesity epidemic, others are out to prove that digital games can do the opposite. At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), 2013 was declared the year of digital health. A variety of new gadgets were introduced, ranging from electronic forks to Tamagotchi-like devices for tracking fitness and the improved Fitbit Flex wristband.
According to a study by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), more than half of U.S. online consumers used a fitness technology in the past year, and 37 percent anticipate purchasing a fitness technology in the next 12 months.
Our nation’s health, or lack thereof, has been a hot topic the last few years, and consumers are becoming aware of their expanding waistlines. It’s prudent for brands to align with this growing trend quickly, as there’s opportunity to attract a new customer base that is just beginning to get engaged.
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Tags: Consumer Electrics Show, dieting, digital health, exercise, Fitocracy, gamification, gamify, health, mobile, MyFitnessPal, Social Engagement, wearable tech
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By Andrea Cohen
The Super Bowl was first introduced to social marketing several years ago. There was instant chemistry. Many brands benefited from this harmonious relationship. Successful marketing campaigns were created. Everyone went home happy.
It should then be no surprise going into Super Bowl XLVII that social marketing is an integral part of marketing strategies. Taking a page out of last year’s playbook, brands have recognized the need to engage with viewers remotely in order to sustain continual engagement throughout all parts of the big game.
After surveying numerous brands’ strategies, we have identified four strategic ways that brands are targeting their remote audience during the Super Bowl: gamification, user generated content, sweepstakes and voting. In order to maximize engagement opportunities, many brands are utilizing multiple activations in order to best connect with their target audience. However, there’s additional opportunity as brands really begin to understand and tailor their social strategies to their audience. We provide our recommendations at the end of this post.
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Tags: 49ers, Beyonce, Coca-Cola, Coke, gamification, mobile, Pepsi, Ravens, social marketing, Super Bowl, Target
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