Sports events aren’t limited to just the field, it’s an opportunity that holds the power of bringing millions of people together beyond borders and demographics.
Sports have always held a special place in the hearts of fans, Indian Premier League, the most popular cricket league in the world, attracted an average viewership of 48 million people per match in 2023, FIFA World Cup, watched by an estimated 1.5 billion people in 2022, and the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics, was watched by an estimated 918 million people in 2020.
This is just viewership, advertisers spend millions to be seen by such a large audience. The Super Bowl is the most expensive sporting event in the world to advertise. A 30-second ad spot during the 2023 Super Bowl cost an estimated $7 million. Well, as the landscape widens, the ad spend increases, and as sports shift to streaming platforms, US sports TV and streaming rights are said to hit $25.6 billion in 2023 and it is projected to reach nearly $30 billion in 2024.
Any sports event is a golden package for advertisers. It has reach, engagement, and opportunity to make a brand image that lasts for years. But are traditional ads effective in 2024?
The answer is no!
Why are traditional ads not effective for sports events?
Traditional ads have been effective for a long time but as consumers were given the taste of new advertising methods, traditional ads no longer grabbed their interest. Here is an explanation of why traditional ads aren’t an apt choice for your 2024 sports campaign.
Decreased attention: Sports viewers are bombarded with stimuli during an event – the game itself, commentary, replays, and other visual elements. This makes it difficult for traditional ads to grab and hold their attention, especially during commercial breaks when they may be more focused on checking their phones or grabbing refreshments.
Passive engagement: Traditional ads are static and one-way, offering little to no interactivity or engagement with the viewers. This can be particularly ineffective for younger audiences accustomed to more dynamic and personalized digital experiences.
Now the question arises of how advertisers should captivate the audience.
Increase Visibility and Grab the Audience’s Attention with Innovation
Consumer behavior has evolved rapidly in recent years. 66% of fans take action after seeing a brand’s sponsorship while watching a sports event. This is the best time to engage them with your brand and build a strong brand presence.
Let’s be honest, even the most thrilling game has its moments where the audience is least interested. During those moments engage your audience with Interactive Dynamic Ads.
Traditional video ads lack two-way communication and today audience wants to touch and feel the ad, they want to take control in their hands. Dynamic ads go beyond static images and videos, incorporating polls, quizzes, or even live product demonstrations. This interactivity grabs viewers’ attention and makes them feel more involved in the event.
Multiple data plug-ins will help advertisers in targeting audiences based on geography, language, relevance, and persona.
Geo-targeting and vernacular targeting use location and language to serve ads with relevant creative. This way advertisers build a better connection with the audience as the ad resonates with them in a language they understand easily.
Apart from this, the advertising landscape has been on rapid evolution since the ban of third-party cookies by Safari and Firefox while Google plans a strategic phase-out in 2024.
Third-party cookies have been the primary source for targeting traditional ads. These cookies helped advertisers cater personalized ads to the audience for decades which later led to the rise of privacy concerns among them. ‘
Contextual advertising has safeguarded its place in the advertising strategies of brands and advertisers. Contextual advertising works on relevancy which significantly boosts the likelihood of consumers interacting since it leverages the already generated interest of the user. 74% of consumers agreed that they were more comfortable with relevant ads.
Traditional advertisements usually use a “one-size-fits-all” tactic, by showing the same message to a diverse audience, without considering their demographics, interests, or context. This approach can make the viewers feel like the ads are not relevant to them, and simply interrupt their enjoyment of the game. Contextual targeting bridges the gap by being relevant to the user during the key moments.
Conclusion
Sports advertising are power-packed opportunities that are crucial for brands. They must make the most out of it by relying on the latest targeting approach and dynamic video ads.
Since consumers are always looking for that one element that ignites their interest in the privacy-focused environment, combining dynamic video ads with a contextual approach would be the most effective strategy. It will allow the users to engage with the brand directly and since it’s relevant their privacy concerns stay at the bay.
