Harlem Globetrotters Social Media Manager Brian Penter (@BrianPenter) has been with the team seven months, but he is no stranger to basketball. Prior to joining the Globetrotters, Penter was part of the social media team for Turner Sports, including its “NBA on TNT” and NBA TV. He said of the difference between Turner and the Globetrotters, “We’re not an NBA team -- we have those competitive roots -- we predate the NBA, but we are that family-friendly entertainment brand. I can do things on social media that some NBA teams might not be able to do.” Penter added, “I love having that bond with our fans, having fun and excitement at our core more so than an NBA team where it’s more news and serious stuff.”
Challenges in marketing a unique brand:
It makes it fun for me in that we can have a voice in both the sports and entertainment spaces. We’re a great basketball team with competitive roots, but also the best family entertainment out there. The challenge can be balancing those and speaking to our different fan bases. We want to speak to a mom who is looking for a fun outing for her family just as well as the die-hard basketball fan.
Balancing Globetrotter history and staying current:
The great thing about our games is you’ll see a 75-year-old man sitting with his 10-year-old granddaughter, and they are laughing just as hard as the other. We do have that nostalgia factor with people who remember Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal. They have their fond memories and it encourages them to bring the next generation of Globetrotter fans. Staying current is where my job comes alive, and our social media strategy is a big part of that. In the last six months, we’ve added over 400,000 fans over Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
Posting strategy -- general approach or focus on upcoming cities:
We’ll play 340 cities on this year’s tour, and we’ll often be in three cities when things are humming. We have local marketing directors and they work with our PR team to maximize our exposure in all those individual cities. My social content strategy is broader and focuses on bringing our brand to life for all our fans.
Social media accounts that inspire:
It’s hard to stand out on social media. It’s such a crowded space with so much content being put out there every day. I get inspiration from the folks in the #smsports community. There are a lot of talented people in that field and it’s cool keeping up with other people in that space.
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