How Brands Can Engage with Sports Fans through Outdoor Advertising
Engaging Sports Fans through Brands and Outdoor Advertising
After a whole year of watching sports at home, it’s no surprise that fans are ecstatic to be returning to stadiums and hospitality venues once again.
With the Government recently enabling large outdoor venues to permit up to 10,000 people or 25% capacity (whichever is lower), a year of watching sport vicariously through screens and in solitude is no longer. Audiences are excited to be back, providing an amazing opportunity for brands to re-engage with this huge audience group.
Sports Fans are Excited for the Return of Live Events
According to a recent study from UK Sport, 97% of sports fans plan to attend live events again, with 75% are happy to attend a live sporting event within the next 4 months. A huge 99% of respondents responded favourably to attending a sports event held outdoors or in an outdoor stadium.
Of these respondents, 97% agreed that live events are good for morale with the buzz of live sporting action and that supporting their favourite athlete or team and being at events with family/friends among the things missed most.
Social media offers great insight into how audiences are feeling about the return of sports, in particular the Euros. Although only a small number of people will be watching from Wembley stadium, a quick browse through Twitter, showed that some fans will be making their way to Wembley to experience the atmosphere. With one user tweeting, “Looking forward to getting down to Wembley on Sunday for England’s first game against Croatia! Don’t have a ticket but want to be there to experience the atmosphere!”
Many others are excited to watch the Euros live from the pub, with one user tweeting, “Pub booked for England v Croatia” and another sharing, “Next Sunday, England vs Croatia and it’s meant to be 24… absolutely going to be at the pub, p*ssed singing It‘s Coming Home by the end of the game.”
Whether it’s watching sports live or watching from a hospitality venue such as the pub, fans are extremely excited for the return of sports with limited restrictions.
The Upcoming OOH Opportunities for Brands to Engage with Sports Fans
There are lots of upcoming opportunities and events for brands looking to engage with sports fans, including the Euros, Wimbledon, Royal Ascot & the Olympics. Whether you are targeting fans hitting the pubs, fans within close proximity to stadium venues or fans simply travelling to events, OOH is perfectly placed to capture their attention.
Over the years, we’ve worked with many brands on some fantastic outdoor campaigns, including interactive experiences and dynamic OOH. For inspiration for your outdoor campaigns, we’ve selected some of our favourites:
Google: Front Row
Paddy Power: Royal Ascot
Coca Cola: FIFA World Cup Augmented Reality Experience
Lay’s: UEFA
So, as you can see, sports audiences are back and hungrier than ever to watch live or visit hospitality venues to join in with the actions. Now is the time to prime these audiences with OOH to influence their purchasing decisions with the best brand awareness campaigns. Brands of all kinds who step with their best foot forward for the rest of 2021, will undoubtedly reap the benefits this Summer and in years to come.
For more information, please contact marketing@talonoutdoor.com or get in touch with your Talon Planner to discuss OOH opportunities within these unique environments.
