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Marketing and Sponsorship

ESPN Rolling Out Two New Ads Addressing Coronavirus Impact

ESPN has had to "significantly revamp its programming with the loss of live sports during the coronavirus pandemic, and now it's altering its marketing as well," as the network is "introducing two new commercials addressing the impact of covid-19 in different ways," according to Sahil Patel of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. One spot features on-air talent such as Stephen A. Smith, Doris Burke and Alex Rodriguez "delivering a message of unity and advising viewers to practice social distancing." Burke "recorded her portion after announcing last week that she had tested positive for the virus." The second ad "continues the network's 'There's No Place Like Sports' campaign," which features uplifting sports moments and "ends with the message 'We miss it, too.'" ESPN Senior VP/Marketing Laura Gentile said that the ads will "appear 10 to 15 times a day each through late May." Patel notes the pause in sports has "changed the work for ESPN's 185-person marketing organization, which now has to move more quickly to promote new programming plans by the network." Gentile said, "We've had to reboot our entire marketing lineup and stay lockstep with production." Patel notes audiences for ESPN have "dipped since major sports leagues stopped play." Gentile said that the network is "considering responding by spending more money to promote itself outside of the TV networks and digital platforms it owns" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/31).

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