Updated: Jul 2, 2018
Minute Media had the great honor of hosting a panel at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which focused on innovative technology and how it is transforming the sports marketing landscape - at the World Cup and beyond.
Minute Media was joined by the Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Mastercard (Raja Rajamannar), the Global Head of Marketing, Communications & Brand Strategy at Nissan (Roel De Vries) and VP at Endeavor (Kary Brock).
The panelists discussed the shift from 'storytelling' to 'storymaking' and how immersive fan experiences that bring additive utility to the live sports viewing experience are the most effective - particularly at large tentpole events like the World Cup where it's easy for brands to get lost in the clutter.
In terms of engaging the new breed of millennial fan, Rajamannar, De Vries and Brock agree that it's crucial to create a deep personal connection with these fans, and social media and emerging technology platforms are the most powerful way to enable these 1-on-1 conversations.
And while they are most excited and optimistic about AI opportunities, they mentioned that some of the tried-and-true branding efforts, such as perimeter boards at stadiums, still remain a key part of their marketing mix, especially as these boards evolve into virtual advertising placements.
As a means of filtering the emerging platforms that make sense for their brands, they continue to use data analysis to discover the angsts and interests of their consumers and then implement the technology that will best address those needs and passion points.
While the industry continues to evolve, the brands (that these individuals represent) continue to innovate, and we're excited to see how they grow and pivot in the sports marketing landscape in the future. Here's a quick look at some of their current initiatives...