#dms302

[thoughtsofadmsstudent-blog-blog]

Everyone can play! The Capacity for Sports to Bridge the Digital Divide

Well digital citizens, the time has come for the fourth and final post of semester 151. To close our series of posts about digital media in sports marketing, we will discuss the digital divide and the capacity for sports organization to bridge the gap to people that are digitally disengaged.

As defined by Flew (2014), the digital divide refers to “the gap between populations that have easy access to ICTs and those who remain undeserved by these technologies” (p. 23). According to Callison (2004), ICTs are inaccessible to groups impeded by socio-economic factors that include age, gender, income, ethnic heritage, disability, geographic location, levels of education and workplace environment (p. 37). Groups suppressed by such social inequalities are excluded and deprived from engaging in the global knowledge economy, which hijacks their opportunity to participate in public life and join wider networks of social influence in the current digital age (as cited in Flew, 2014, p. 23).  In the video below, TED Talk-er Karlie Robinson discusses the current dilemma where technology is ubiquitous, yet out of reach for a large portion of the global community.  

Karlie Robinson talks about bridging the digital gap in an independently organised TED event  Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfRVyNRYg1g

As computer literacy increasingly becomes a “basic skill” in the digital era and the number of pay-tv subscriptions continues to decline (Deloitte, 2014, p. 12), Evens, Iosifidis and Smith (2013) predict that sports organisations will redirect the rights to air their products from the traditional, television broadcasters to online streaming services (p. 80), as seen with the launch of Cricket Australia’s (2015) own channel on Apple TV earlier this year. Clarkson (2014) strengthens Evens, Iosifidis and Smith’s forecast, stating “the growth of on-demand digital streaming will inevitably change the landscape. Media companies will be chasing content that brings in on-demand or monthly subscribers. They will be balancing that against the significant costs of production”. As more sports organisations turn to online outlets to broadcast their products as a means to keep up with the times, as well being cost-effective, the “majority of the world’s citizens [who] still do not have access to the Internet” will be denied access to the sport, while the offline groups of society will be socially excluded from engaging and participating in the sports’ fanatic communities (Evens, Iosifidis and Smith, 2013, p. 80). With the risk of marginalizing a large portion of their spectatorships – the lifeblood of sports products (Mihai, 2013, p. 231) - sports organisations are forced to acknowledge the digital divide and the magnitude that their looming decisions pose in broadening the social issue.

What can be done? The Opportunities for Sports Organisations to Combat the Digital Divide

In his explanation of how to achieve digital social equity in the below video, the Right Honourable Jeremy Hunt - MP Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport in the United Kingdom – states that “often it’s the most socially disadvantaged who have the most to gain in getting online” (as cited in MediaTrust UK, 2011).

Jeremy Hunt - What role should charities play in bridging the digital divide? Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUMAQ6mAxtE 

With no evidence of sports organisations’ prior efforts to combat the digital divide, and with Hunt’s words in mind, sports organisations should be devising initiatives that reconnect the digitally isolated and socially disadvantaged pockets of the globe with the rest of the world. Through its heavy reliance on technology, motorsport poses as the quintessential sports category to capitalize on bridging the digital gap for communities in need. For example, Formula One does not host a Grand Prix in Africa due to the lack of racing facilities in the continent. However, the organization could increase the possibility for a future African Grand Prix by breeding the next generation of race technicians through supporting the One Laptop Per Child program. Formula One’s involvement in the initiative could see African students receive laptops with already-installed design and engineering programs to foster the sport’s future engineers. This would provide the students with the same opportunities as students in the Western world - let alone the potential opportunity to work in F1 in the future - and thus, Formula One would contribute to bridging the gap that separates Africa from the digital realm.

Reference List:

Callison, D. (2004). Key Words in Instruction: Digital Divide. School Library Media Activities Monthly, 20(6), 37-41

Clarkson, N. (2014, December 22). Horse sport must cross the digital divide at full gallop. Horse Talk. Retrieved from http://horsetalk.co.nz/2014/12/22/horse-sport-digital-divide-full-gallop/#axzz3WaS2qRBo

Cricket Australia. (2015, January 14). Cricket.com.au launches on Apple TV. Cricket.com.au. Retrieved from http://www.cricket.com.au/news/cricket-australia-launches-apple-tv-channel/2015-01-14/

Deloitte. (2014). Media Consumer 2014: The Digital Divide. Retrieved from http://www.deloitte.co.uk/mediaconsumer/assets/downloads/Deloitte-Media-Consumer-Survey-2014.pdf

Evens, T., Iosifidis, P., & Smith, P. (2013). The Political Economy of Televelision Sports Rights. New York, NY, USA: Palgrave Macmillan

Flew, T. (2014). New Media (fourth edition). South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Oxford University Press

MediaTrust UK. (Poster). (2011, November 16). Jeremy Hunt - What role should charities play in bridging the digital divide? (Video File). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUMAQ6mAxtE

Mihai, A.L. (2013). The Strategic Sport Marketing Planning Process. Manager: Change and Leadership. 230-236. Retrieved from http://manager.faa.ro/en/article/The-Strategic-Sport-Marketing-Planning-Process~737.html

[thoughtsofadmsstudent-blog-blog]

Visit Original Link

This is crowdsourcing: its capacity to unite people, unleash the potential of the individual, and the dilemmas that the phenomenon presents 

[thoughtsofadmsstudent-blog-blog]

For the Love of Sport: Cultural Integration through the Globalisation of Sport

Hello digital citizens! Welcome to the third post of semester 151. The topic of discussion this week is the extent that the globalisation of sports is internationalisingsports fanaticism and uniting cultures, while producing commercial benefits for sports organisations.

Held and McGrew (as cited in Flew, 2014) define the social process of globalisation as a “shift or transformation in the scale of human organization that links distant communities and expands the reach of power relations across the world’s regions and continents” (p. 140).  In simpler terms, globalisation is the “death of distance” (Cairncross, as cited in Flew, 2014, p. 141) where transcontinental communication and the patterns of social interaction grow to allow the interchanging of ideas between cultures. Globalisation reconsiders the concept of community, and allows different groups to connect through network logic.

The increasing tendency of sports to perform on global scales can be attributed to the globalisation process (Sugden and Tomlinson, 2002, p. 25). As sports organisations capitalize on globalisation mechanisms – such as enlisting international talent and hosting global sporting events – the opportunities for their sports products to be diffused around the world increases, which allows cultures to integrate through a mutual fanaticism of a sport and thus, removes disunity in the sport’s spectatorship. From a sports marketing perspective, the internationalisation of a sport’s fanaticism strengthens its lifeblood: spectatorship (Mihai, 2013, p. 231); while the worldwide dissemination and brand awareness of a sport presents commercial opportunities outside of the sport’s local market, which poses to enhance the viability and survival of the sports product.

The Integration of Cultures through the Enlistment of International Talent in Western Sports

Ramaswamy (2009) ascribes the increasing worldwide popularity of western sports products to their diversification of international talent. According to Sudgen and Tomlinson (2002), as athletes venture outside of their nation-state’s borders to play sport, a sense of nationalism and national identity is stimulated in the player’s native country (p. 36). International interest in the sport is generated (Feinstein, Kishner and Pace, 2010) - prompting the sport’s globalisation - which presents commercial opportunities for the sport to harness on an international scale.

The increase of transcontinental and transnational fanaticism of western sports through the enlistment of international talent is evident in the United State’s National Basketball Association (NBA). The recruitment of Chinese players Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian in the NBA has lifted the profile of the sport in the East, which is manifest through the NBA’s website traffic which sees more than half come from outside of North America (Feinstein, Kishner and Pace, 2010). In addition to this, Feinstein, Kishner and Pace (2010) accredit the NBA’s currency in China as “a significant reason for Nike’s revenue growth in that country, which rose to 22% in 2009”, and for the increase in Chinese corporations seeking sponsorship and advertising opportunities in the sport.

In 2008, Coca-Cola capitalised on the globalisation of the NBA by releasing an advertisement with Yao Ming alongside American basketballer LeBron James. In their pursuit to appeal to the Asian market, Coca-Cola’s advertisement (embedded below) depicted the unity of eastern and western cultures in basketball as a result of Ming’s recruitment into the sport, and alluded to the existence of a global NBA community through the presence of international talent in America’s basketball league.

Coca-Cola used the globalisation of the NBA through Ming’s recruitment into the sport in order to tap into the Asian market Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZF411gMmvY 

World Sporting Events forming Global Communities

According to Duvall and Guschwan (2013), the globalisation of sports is represented in global sporting ‘mega-events’, through their function “as conspicuous cultural performances” (p. 303). International sporting events bring society “closer to the ideal of a community of nations cooperating and competing with one another on a level playing field” (Williamson, 2010) through their capacity to unite different groups, instill civic pride and circulate global aspirations by operating on the nationalism of its participants. The union of different groups and cultures during global sporting events is demonstrated in the below video from the 2014 FIFA World Cup, as well as the World Cup’s official anthem “We are One”.

For the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Hyundai developed a campaign that captured the culturally unified atmosphere in Sao Paulo Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRFzvBOA_Lc 

The Official 2014 World Cup Song highlights the effects of globalisation in Football through the World Cup Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGtWWb9emYI 

The commercial opportunities that emerge from the networking of cultures in sporting ‘mega-events’ are plenty. Alongside the billion-dollar price tag for television rights and advertising space, global sporting events pose as a marketing tool for the host country. According to Dashper, Fletcher and McCullogh (2005), Formula One boosts the tourism of each Grand Prix location, through the projection of the cities and nations that manifest from the Formula One cars racing around their streets (p. 77). This enables Formula One to “capitalize on potential revenue streams through signing up new host nations… or to furnish new sponsor markets” (Dashper, Fletcher, McCullogh, 2005, p. 76).

Reference List:

Dashper, K., Fletcher, T., & McCullogh, N. (2015). Sports Events, Society and Culture. New York, NY, USA: Routledge

Duvall, S.S., & Guschwan, M.C. (2013). Commodifying Global Activism and Racial Unity During the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Communication, Culture & Critique. 298 – 317. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/10706915/Commodifying_Global_Activism_and_Racial_Unity_During_the_2010_FIFA_World_Cup

Feinstein, H., Kishner, I., & Pace, M. (2010, October 15). Impact of Globalization and Technology on Professional Sports. Lexology. Retrieved from http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=db1fac5c-a94f-433a-b24a-97e781229487

Flew, T. (2014). New Media (fourth edition). South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Oxford University Press

Mihai, A.L. (2013). The Strategic Sport Marketing Planning Process. Manager: Change and Leadership. 230-236. Retrieved from http://manager.faa.ro/en/article/The-Strategic-Sport-Marketing-Planning-Process~737.html

Ramaswamy, A. (2009, November 11). How Globalisation is Making Sports Better. Bleacher Report. Retrieved from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/288357-how-globalization-is-making-sports-better

Sudgen, J., & Tomlinson, A. (2002). Power Games: A critical sociology of sport. New York, NY, USA: Routledge

Williamson, T. (2010, June 10). The World Cup, global inequality and global community. Indy Week. Retrieved from http://www.indyweek.com/sports/archives/2010/06/10/the-world-cup-global-inequality-and-global-community

[thoughtsofadmsstudent-blog-blog]

Getting bums on seats, even if those bums aren't at the Game: Social Media in Sports Marketing

Welcome to the second blog post of the semester, digital citizens! The topic of discussion this week is collective intelligence and the risks and rewards that social media poses in sports marketing.

Levy and Kerckhove (as cited in Flew, 2014) describe collective intelligence as "the capacity of network information and computer technologies to exponentially enhance the collective pool of social knowledge by simultaneously expanding the extent of human interactions enabled by communication networks, and providing a vastly greater capacity to generate, codify, store and retrieve knowledge through collective access to networked databases" (p. 19). 

Phew, that was a long definition; but such networked information and computer technologies that Levy and Kerckhove discussed are exemplified in Social Media. Online communication platforms - such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - have contributed to the emergence of the current knowledge economy through facilitating user-collaboration in the development, distribution, sharing and communication of knowledge (Flew, p. 19). Social Media networks have become public spaces where users can communicate and collaborate "on a large-scale, across geographical distances and... in real-time" (Flew, p. 19).

The immediacy of social media-facilitated communication has prompted consumers to "expect business to engage them and build relationships" (Witkemper, Lim & Waldburger, 2012, p. 172). From a sports marketing perspective, the current knowledge economy demands sports organisations to be active participants in online communities to protect and strengthen the lifeblood of sport: spectatorship (Mihai, 2013, p. 231). In preserving and encouraging the spectatorship of a sport, social media increases brand awareness among audiences, enhances the consumer's value of the sport and thus, ensures the survival of the sports product. However, the rewards of social media in sports marketing coincide with the risks, which include the non-collaboration with offline spectators and the provision of a public forum for negative views of the sport to be aired.

Rewards of Social Media in Sports Marketing: Strengthened Brand Awareness and Enhanced Consumer Value

Robinson (2012) posits that sports fulfil human's innate desire to belong, which is a "big part of why sports fans congregate" in public entertainment precincts to watch the game. Witkemper et al. (2012) corroborates with Robinson, explaining "people often want to express their opinions and talk about their favourite teams and players with other fans. Some fans intermingle at games, some at bars, or through radio talk shows. [Social Media] is quickly becoming a medium for this type of interaction between people" (p. 173). The emergence of instant conversation aggregators, like Twitter and Facebook, have prompted sports fans to shift their banter from the pub to online spaces, replicating their face-to-face connection in an online adaption which is aired to - and collaborated with - the masses using social media.

Furthermore, with numerous athletes personally using and managing their own social media accounts, fans have the opportunity to interact and establish relationships with sports figures, despite the social and geographical barriers (Witkemper et al., 2012, p. 179). While social media's intimate and participatory culture enhances the consumer's experience and value of the sport - encouraging their spectatorship - their conversations on these communication platforms generate huge online noise that strengthens the sport's brand awareness; captured quintessentially in the below clip that narrows in on social conversation and online fan engagement in the NFL.

The ways in which fans used social media as a medium to connect and affiliate through the NFL in 2014 Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zB3qO6xFFI 

Using social media as part of a sports marketing ploy isn't solely limited to replying to fans'  tweets or liking a few followers' posts on Instagram. According to Boyer (2012), sports organisations can exponentially enhance fans’ loyalty and interest in the sport through supplying unique and exclusive content on social media. Prior to embarking on the 2015 V8 Supercars Championship, many race teams chose to reveal their highly anticipated car liveries through short films released on Facebook and YouTube, as opposed to the traditional, media-exclusive event launches. Through masking their commercial message (exposure for their naming-rights sponsor) as special, yet relevant social media content for their fans, the teams mobilised their consumers to receive their planned message and build their loyalty and spectatorship of the sport in the process.

Holden Racing Team used Facebook to tease and reveal their 25th anniversary livery with their Facebook fans first - all 133, 917 of them
 Source: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialHoldenRacingTeam 

'Scott McLaughlin on V8 Patrol: Volvo Polestar Racing' saw the team highlight their new sponsor in a unique and relevant way that generated 16,737 views on YouTube (at last count) Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrWmBcMBGo4 

V8 Supercars further enriches their fans’ experiences and maintains spectatorship through providing their audiences with second-screen technology. Launched in 2013, the V8 Supercars Timing App provides users with exclusive driver and track information, interactive 3D track maps and live race timing and leaderboards; protecting the sport's appeal as a form of live entertainment (Mihai, 2013, p. 231) and ensuring that fans who aren’t at the track are still immersed in the sport in real-time. 

V8 Supercars in the palm of your hand. Fans don't need to be near a television or at the circuit to know exactly what is happening on-track with the official Timing App (available on both IOS and Android) Source: www.v8supercars.com.au 

Risks of Social Media in Sports Marketing: Marginalisation of Offline Spectators and Penetration of Negative Views

According to Statista (2015), out of a 7.2 billion large global population, there were 1.4 billion social network users in 2012. From this information, 5.516 billion of the word’s population were offline and not engaged in online media traffic and thus, were marginalised from sports organisations that used social media to communicate their planned messages.

While sports marketingthrough social media compromises the reach of their messages and ignores offline users, the collaboration among online audiences can be disruptive. Social media provides disgruntled consumers with a forum to voice their negative views on sports products, figures and organisations in their digital outputs, which has the capacity to generate vast online noise. Through social media’s role as a public space and a “vehicle for… influence” (Giles, 2010, p. 2), online collaboration of a negative nature can deter spectatorship and participation in the sport and encourage the penetration of negative opinions.

While a hilarious depiction, 'Mean Tweets - NFL Edition' illustrates how social media has enabled disgruntled fans to penetrate their discontent with sports products and sports figures in a public space Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPmObvuOMYA 

Reference List:

Flew, T. (2014). New Media (fourth edition). South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Oxford University Press

Giles, M. (2010, January 30). A World of Connections: A special report on social networking. The Economist, 1-14. 

Mihai, A.L. (2013). The Strategic Sport Marketing Planning Process. Manager: Change and Leadership. 230-236. Retrieved from http://manager.faa.ro/en/article/The-Strategic-Sport-Marketing-Planning-Process~737.html

Robinson, J., & Boyer, L. (2012). How can Sports Marketing utilise Social Media? Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.bond.edu.au/docview/1009895995?pq-origsite=summon 

Statista (2015). Number of social network users worldwide from 2010 to 2018 (in billions). Retrieved from http://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/

Witkemper, C., Lim, C.H., & Waldburger, A. (2012). Social Media and Sports Marketing: Examining the Motivations and Constraints of Twitter Users. Sports Marketing Quarterly, 21(3). 170-183. Retrieved from http://is.muni.cz/el/1423/podzim2013/ZUR589b/um/SM_W8_Twitter_Sports_Marketing.pdf 

[kellmcdade]

The use of social media allows business professionals to connect to a wide range of their clients while also overcoming time and space barriers. According to Science Direct, “69 percent of respondents report thattheir companies have gained measurable business benefits, including more innovative products and services, more effective marketing, better access to knowledge, lower cost of doing business, and higher revenues,” when talking about the sue of social media. (Jari, Hannu & Heli, 2014) As companies keep uncovering more advantages of social media, the presence of it in the industry is growing.

One of the main benefits of social media, is that it can be used as a marketing tool to retain and gain new customers. According to a global survey mentioned by Schroeder, “more than three quarters of respondents indicated that they rely more on product and service reviews by other consumers than on direct advertising by companies.” (Schroeder, 2014) Clients are looking to other users for advice and product/service reviews, compared to traditional advertisements paid for and created by the company itself, which can be bias. Because of this trend, “most firms now need to work at building a positive image and active presence online and to interact continuously with their customers and other internet users via social media sites. In many industries, the use of Facebook groups, company blogs and Twitter accounts, among other social media tools, have become an indispensable part of organizational strategies for growth and competitiveness and for managing new types of business risks.” (Schroeder, 2014) This video, based on an award-winning article by Ian P. McCarthy, goes into detail about how to use social media as a marketing tool, and how to do so efficiently. The video guides users on how to functionally use social media. It gives insight into important decisions that need to be made, such as what social media platforms to use, how much freedom users should have on what they post, and privacy guidelines. 

Connecting through social media also makes clients and potential clients feel as if they are becoming more personally linked and gaining insight about the company or person they are working with. Ideally, I would like to end up in the finance sector of the business industry, which is mainly serviced based.  By creating stronger relationships with clients it will increase their satisfactions of the service being provided. They will feel as if they are not just another account or portfolio being examined, but an actual person who the financial counselor cares about.          

Narrowing in on the finance sector of the business industry, social media is being used by investors. Investors are using social media as a new research instrument. Hersch, quotes Remy Domler Morrison, who says, "today's investors are scrutinizing traditional sources with content and commentary they are finding through social networks and are becoming much more critical and conversant when it comes to their investment choices.” (Hersch, 2013) He continues to point out that the use of social media by investors strengthens their relationships by “motivating investors to engage more with their advisors and investment firm representatives, which can lead to more asset gathering opportunities for providers." (Hersch, 2013) We live in an era that is considered to be technology and digital abased and it is imperative that businesses and industries adapt to keep up with the changes.

A video by Radian6, shows how financial service firms can use social media to their advantage by listening to what their customers have to say about their services. Radian6 refers to this as social listening. The video then goes on to explain how their social media platform can be used to monitor competitors. Radain6 is attempting to create a new social media program that is targeted towards specific industries, such as financial services.  

Social media is not only useful for consumer to get to know the company, but the other way around as well. Social media gives firms access to “an unprecedented amount of data about individuals which can be used for a range of business purposes including market research, networking and recruitment.” (Schroeder, 2014) When companies have a greater understanding of their target clients, they will be able to tailor their services to better meet their needs and increase overall utility.

Beyond the evident benefits of social media, there are some risks accompanying it. It is crucial that employees using social media understand that, regardless if for professional or personal reasons, they must maintain profiles that portray them in a positive light. Employees, who choose to be present on social media, should “require knowledge and understanding of how to do so responsibly and effectively.” (Schroeder, 2014)  Not only can an individual’s reputation, but also the whole company, can be negatively affected by poor decisions made online.

[thoughtsofadmsstudent-blog-blog]

Every story gets told, every brand gets sold: Convergence in Sports Marketing

Hello digital citizens! Welcome to the first post of semester 151. This week, we will narrow in on convergence in sports marketing and discuss the cultural influences and practices shaping the concept in this field.  

Rising from popular attitude that consumers are entitled to media participation (Flew, 2014, p. 76), Jenkins (2006) defines convergence as “the flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behaviour of media audiences who would go almost anywhere in search of the kinds of entertainment experiences they wanted”.

Jenkins' ideas of convergence are evident in the two features of sports marketing: the marketing of sports and marketing through sports. Convergent media models - such as social media platforms, relevant and interactive media content, and digital distribution methods of content - is evident in the "application of marketing concepts to sport products and services" (marketing of sports) (Mihai, 2006, p. 231). While, concurrently, the cooperation of media industries, such as brand converging and integration, is manifest in the "marketing of other consumer and industrial products and services through sport" (marketing through sports) (p. 231). 

Convergence in the Marketing of Sport

According to Flew (2014), convergent social media encourages a participatory media culture, empowering users “through greater interactivity and two-way communication flows” (p. 76). From a sports marketing perspective, social media is an “enhanced promotional landscape” that enables athletes and organisations to disintermediate the traditional mass media process, blurring their commercial messages and objectives into social network pages that directly connect to their followers (Powell, 2013, p. 62).

This audience participation in convergent media has been instrumental in the marketing of motorsport to overcome its issue of proximity between fan and sport. Bloom (as cited in The Drum, 2014), the Group Online Manager at the ‘McLaren’ Formula One team, explained that the converging of the team’s marketing mix with social media channels bridged this gap, engaging with fans on social media through their communication output being sensitive to material their followers wanted: an inside look at the team (i.e. tweeting out the team’s strategies during a race).

The proliferation of online media content also enables the marketing pursuits of sport organisations’ to have large-scale reach.

Alongside McLaren’s social media practices, the team developed an online animation series Tooned to connect with a wider audience. While building brand equity with not only their avid fan but groups outside of their direct demographic (women and children), the unique and relevant digital content of Tooned also poses as an opportunity to provide their commercial partners and sponsors (i.e. Vodafone, Hugo Boss) with additional widespread exposure to their reached audience. 

Episode 1 of McLaren's 'Tooned' animation series Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyu4t70yYVE 

Convergent media in sports marketing, however, is not strictly limited to social media platforms and creative digital content. The emergenceof convergent media has radically transformed the way media is produced, distributed and received, which has prompted the demassification of sports media content (Flew, 2014, p. 75).  Convergent media has allowed the relaying of sports media to move beyond traditional broadcasting outlets – such as television and radio – as consumers demand for greater, direct access to content; where, when and how they want it (Jenkins, 2006). To fulfil these demands and consumer habits, and ensure the survival of their product, a number of Australian sports conglomerates have developed their marketing mix to converge online portals with broadcasting outlets.

Earlier this year, Cricket Australia (2015) launched their own channel on Apple TV, granting fans free and immediate access to exclusive news, footage and highlights, in an effort to demonstrate their “dedication to bringing fans closer to the cricket action... and thus expanding and enhancing their digital cricket experience,” according to Amarfio, Cricket Australia’s Executive General Manager of Media. The AFL mirrored this objective, allowing every game of the 2014 season to be streamed live to a consumer’s mobile device for a subscription fee via the AFL Live Pass.

A screenshot of the Cricket Australia channel, available on Apple TV  Source: http://eftm.com.au

These digital marketing pursuits have mobilised the mass audiences of cricket and football to be constantly connected to each organisation, while protecting the attractiveness of their sports product as a form of live entertainment (Mihai, 2013, p. 231).

Convergence in Marketing through Sport 

Brands and sports cooperating and converging in the current marketing landscape is manifested in the ubiquitous presence of corporation-backed sporting events. According to Mihai (2013), powerhouse brands use sports “as a vehicle to promote and advertise their products” to specific demographics the sport has access to (p. 231).  This marketing objective fuses the sport and brand together to immerse the sport’s participants in the brand and its product, demonstrated through Coca-Cola’s numerous marketing activations at sporting events across the United States last year.

The range of successful marketing strategies Coca-Cola employed through sporting events and opportunities in 2014 Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu0xbFiHixA 

This convergence and cooperation of brands and sports also extends to international corporations integrating into Australian sports to harness the Australian market.  According to Favorito (2014), international brands strategically immerse themselves into the national sports of countries they’re venturing into to render use of its reach and engagement with fans. 

In 2014, Swedish luxury car manufacturer Volvo joined the V8 Supercars grid, in an attempt to rid the stigma widely attached to the brand in Australia of a dull car for the elderly. With V8 Supercars’ image as thrilling, high-octane entertainment and its extensive national broadcast reach and popularity; Volvo's converging with the sport that saw it “activate locally and fit into the way local fans engage” was an opportunity for the brand to redefine itself in the Australian marketplace (Favorito, 2014).

A Volvo advertisement that drives home the brand's convergence with aggressive V8 Supercar racing Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm9-7eN5gno 

What better marketing strategy for Volvo to change its image and widespread perception of its brand in Australia than this? A racing billboard... (I encourage you to watch the video until the end and ask yourself whether your perception of Volvo has changed, and how) Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBxnf6N21y4 

Reference List:

Cricket Australia. (2015, January 14). Cricket.com.au launches on Apple TV. Cricket.com.au. Retrieved from http://www.cricket.com.au/news/cricket-australia-launches-apple-tv-channel/2015-01-14/

Favorito, J. (2014, September 28). We are the World; Global Sports Convergence Grows. Sports Marketing & PR Roundup. Retrieved from http://joefavorito.com 

Flew, T. (2014). New Media (fourth edition). South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Oxford University Press

Jenkins, H. (2006, June 19). Welcome to Convergence Culture [Web log post]. Confessions of an Aca-Fan: The Official Web Blog of Henry Jenkins. Retrieved from http://henryjenkins.org/2006/06/welcome_to_convergence_culture.html

Mihai, A.L. (2013). The Strategic Sport Marketing Planning Process. Manager: Change and Leadership. 230-236. Retrieved from http://manager.faa.ro/en/article/The-Strategic-Sport-Marketing-Planning-Process~737.html

Powell, Helen (2013). Promotional Culture and Convergence: Markets, Methods, Media. Retrieved from http://www.eblib.com

[isabellaschoonenberg]

A bit about me...

Welcome to my blog!

Here, I will endeavour to discuss and reflect on the effects of digital media in our society and, in particular, the close relationship formed between Public Relations and the digital world.

As a first year student at Bond University, my specific area of interest is yet to be determined, however, I leave my mind open to the possibilities. Whether that be marketing, advertisement, public relations or any number of fields, my aim is to discover how digital media plays a role in many diverse and exciting areas.

So watch this space for an insight into my thoughts.

[marianig]