As the fall draws nears, the reality of an altered football season has finally started to set in. Although no one could have predicted how long this pandemic would last, it was hard to imagine in March the place the world would be right now. The large crowds typically gathered at football games is not predictable for the 2020 season. And the lack of fans packing stadiums and arenas is going to create a major shift in advertising. Sticking to traditional pre-covid advertising is not going to cause the same impact as previous years. It is important to adapt into innovative advertising tactics to create a lasting impact during this altered season.
With many stadiums limiting or prohibiting fans, advertisements for ticket sales as well as advertising inside of stadiums is basically irrelevant this season. Although the fans are not going to be physically in stadiums this season, there is still a major opportunity to reach them. The amazing thing about sports fans, that is extremely helpful to advertisers, is that fans typically support their local team. This means that many of the fans who would normally attend games but won’t be able to attend this season will still be easy to target. And with less fans physically attending games and tailgates, it is more important than ever to remind fans to watch games and to support their team.
One team already reminding fans of their presence is the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers are a prime example of how digital out of home (DOOH) advertising can be used to get local fans excited about the altered season. With television viewership being so important this season, another great DOOH tactic is game day reminders. Game day reminders have been successfully used in previous years but are super important for the 2020 season with more people having to watch from home and with so many people on different schedules than years prior.
But sports teams are not the only ones who can benefit from shifting to DOOH. Many food and beverage brands who typically advertise inside of stadiums still have the potential to reach that audience. Despite many fans not being able to go into stadiums, fans are still going outside to exercise, going eat out, going shopping and doing other activities outside their homes. This means shifting to DOOH advertising is the perfect way to reach fans this season. Here an example of what this shift would look like:
2019: A hot dog ad is placed in a stadium. Fans attending the game see the ad and decide to get a hot dog to enjoy while watching the game.
2020: A hot dog ad is placed on a DOOH board. Fans see the ad while on their way to the grocery store and remember to pick up hot dogs to enjoy while watching the game at home.
With fans not being able to rely on their typical game day plans, DOOH ads could highly affect their food and beverage choices. And with so many options, it’s important to stand out. As stated previously, fans typically support their local teams. This means instead of having a generalized ad placed in all markets, ads can be tailored to each sports team in order to cause a greater impact in each market. Bud Light used this hyperlocal method during the Super bowl playoffs last season. But with more fans staying at home and in their local cities to watch games, this advertising tactic is a great way to engage fans all season long.
This year's altered season won’t change the fact that football is America’s favorite sport, but it will change the way advertisers reach football fans. DOOH is the best way to reach the masses of football fans while they alter their viewing habits this season. From football teams to food and beverage brands, DOOH can help all reach the audience needed in order to have a successful season. Lamar has an amazing team ready to help advertisers optimize their reach and impact through DOOH. Please contact us for more info!