By the time the torch at the Rio Olympic Games was extinguished, an estimated $5 billion was spent by brands promoting official and nonofficial Olympic partnerships, eager to bask in the halo of the Rio Games. There was a tremendous buildup in coverage and promotion to try to capitalize off two weeks of frenzied competition, complete with indelible Olympic moments.
As quick as the Olympics come and go, the sports calendar shifts to the Major League Baseball postseason race, NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup and the NFL and college football regular season. While the activation period for brands may be longer than the Olympics, the buildup, focus and memorable moments can provide valuable platforms for partners.
But here’s the million-dollar question for brands that invest substantially in ambassadors around these properties and milestones: Was it worth it?
Quantifying the true ROI can take weeks and even months after the event or season to calculate. Ultimately, a brand ambassador needs to make an impact on an overall, integrated campaign. But that doesn’t always happen, as it’s not uncommon for companies to make individual sports investments, rather than consider which would make the most strategic impact on their business goals.
While for years, brands have used athletes to promote products, sell services and build credibility, these ambassador roles often fall short. Brands are willing to make an investment, but often for the short term — an isolated media tour, a series of commercials, a few promoted tweets, a routine product placement. If brands are to use celebrities, whether during the Olympics, the NFL season or on the NASCAR circuit, they must consider a broader and longer-term marketing and communications plan to leverage the investment.
It starts during initial negotiations with the spokesperson to secure the assets and services needed to tell the brand’s story, convey the message and, most importantly, sustain momentum through paid, earned, shared and owned communications. So many brands miss using all of these channels to reach their audiences. Brands often concentrate on one or two marketing vehicles during a campaign. To reach consumers, the successful, longer-term platforms integrate media and touch points including advertising, public relations, direct marketing, digital, print, in-store, customer events, etc. It’s the surround-sound approach to marketing and communications.
While budgets to support marketing, communications and ambassadors vary drastically between larger, established brands/companies compared to smaller, less established ones, this puts an even greater onus on those companies to maximize their resources wisely. However, this should not change the brand’s overall strategy. Companies should be using data and research that establishes where their target audiences are congregating and how they are engaging. This data is a key advantage to helping brands evaluate where they should allocate funds (large or small budgets) across multiple channels that will resonate authentically and establish connections with their desired audiences.
Authenticity is a critical factor for influencing consumer perception and establishing trust to market to and through the ambassador’s fans and followers. Consumers recognize ambassadors who have a meaningful, long-standing connection to brands. It’s the Jordan Nike factor. It’s the rapport Peyton Manning and Derek Jeter have established with brand partners over many years. Other great examples include Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul with State Farm, former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu with Head & Shoulders and Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin with Kia Motors, all of whom have cultivated relationships that span/have spanned over several years and established continuity, brand equity and integrated marketing strategy.
In fact, it’s no longer just the audiences that are skeptical about short-term athlete ambassador brand “plugs.” Many athletes are avoiding more traditional brand promotions, even if the relationships were to provide a big payday. Athletes are increasingly seeking opportunities that align with their personal brand and are prioritizing opportunities to contribute ideas to the campaign’s creative and overall message at the outset. They recognize consumers are aware of how much money is spent on endorsement deals, and they want to establish credible and authentic connections. The most successful partnerships are rooted in emotional and personal connections with consumers, and partnering with ambassadors who are believers in the brand, inspire a deeper relevancy and have a greater chance of making an impact with audiences. For smaller brands and startup companies, there is often an opportunity to identify and engage an ambassador who is intrigued by the brand’s potential, and understands the advantages to getting in on the ground floor to grow with the brand.
The days of viewing brand ambassadors as merely “talking heads” are over. There is increased competition not only across categories, but within the entire consumer landscape, so ambassador programs must find their differentiation points for deeper engagement. With substantial financial investments at stake for companies, the successful programs are those built on established partnerships, strategic planning and multiple communications touch points for consumer engagement.
In the long run, these efforts move a brand into a better position to capitalize on critical ROI measurements over time for success. There are certainly instances where brands have successfully engaged ambassadors for meaningful partnerships with the brand and its stakeholders; however, this must become the rule, not the exception.
Chris Console (chris.console@bm.com) is a director with Burson-Marsteller Fan Experience, the agency’s sports and entertainment marketing specialty.
