Last week, the world discovered the clubs qualified for the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. But does on-field success reflect in the clubs’ performance on their digital assets? The Data Insights team at Samba Digital analyzed performance from Tuesday, April 16th to Friday, April 19th, to evaluate the performance of these clubs on their official Spanish-language accounts.
But first, which of these clubs have official accounts in Spanish?
Before we continue, it’s important to note that Real Madrid, being a Spanish club and its official account being in its native language, was not considered in this analytical comparison.
Of the other three clubs qualified for the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain and FC Bayern were ranked 1st and 6th, respectively, when analyzing the reach of their posts on their Spanish-language profiles.
Having a perfect year so far, which already includes the Bundesliga title, Bayer 04 Leverkusen reached the 5th position on their official profile in the language with 2 million accounts reached.
With a humorous tone, Paris Saint-Germain joked about repeating the feat that occurred in the 2020/2021 edition and the post alone reached 2.1 million accounts.
The work was so well done that the second post among all Spanish-language accounts was also from PSG with Dembélé as the protagonist and another 1.6 million accounts reached. It’s worth noting that the player left Camp Nou for Parc des Princes at the start of this season.
The strategies that allowed PSG to face this performance crossed different universes and included the knowledge of the recent history of confrontations between the clubs with a viral touch of an iconic phrase of Homer Simpson. The other piece only explored the rivalry intensified by the recent transfer of Dembélé and his funny face, which was very expressive.
Want to learn more about our digital community management? Reach out to Samba Digital!
Samba Digital achieved a significant milestone on social media in March: four out of the five clubs with the highest reach on their pages in Spanish – as second language – on X.com are managed by the agency, specialized in brand internationalization.
The clubs that reached large audiences throughout the month were Tottenham (ENG), AS Monaco (FRA), Leeds United (ENG), and Paris Saint-Germain (FRA).
One key factor behind the English club’s outstanding performance was a simple yet original feature that X offers to users for image descriptions.
In the message, Argentine defender Cristian Romero is praised:
“We saw that this content was viral on social networks and we took advantage of the trend. We are always on the lookout for those moments where something so simple can have a great impact”, told Tomás Marco Del Pont, who manages Spurs accounts in Spanish.
As for AS Monaco, not only did they secure the second position overall, but the second post with the highest reach was also Monegasque. It arose from the historical connection AS Monaco has with Real Madrid through players shared by both clubs, such as Morientes, Saviola, James Rodriguez, and Tchouameni.
𝙃𝘼𝙇𝘼 𝙈𝘼𝘿𝙍𝙄𝘿 🤍
Por los jugadores que compartimos 🤝 ¡Y por los que vendrán! 🔥 🔜
In March we had Real Madrid birthday and I did a post about the players that both teams shared that went viral. Some influencers a DjMariio commented and that also brought as a lot of followers and engagement to. By the end of March the account grew 3K+ followers”, explained Pablo Lee, the Social Media in charge of AS Monaco Spanish account.
In their quest for promotion back to the Premier League, Leeds United experienced a notable improvement in March, thanks to a highly original design featuring Wilfried Gnonto. The midfielder scored one of the goals in Leeds’ 2-0 win over Sheffield United, and the Spanish-language page highlighted it in this manner:
Attend your favorite club’s games as a VIP, take part in an exclusive signing session with star footballers or train with the pros: these are the privileged fan experiences offered by Fan4All. Launched in 2022, the all-in-one platform, dedicated to soccer fans, has already attracted prestigious French clubs: Olympique de Marseille, OGC Nice, Montpellier HSC and Paris FC. Fan4all offers fans of these clubs a richer, more personalized and rewarding experience.
Bringing fans closer to their club
During the pandemic, when soccer matches were played behind closed doors, two brothers, both computer engineers and soccer enthusiasts, noticed two things. First, the very strong emotional attachment of fans to their clubs is not sufficiently rewarded in the digital world. Second, clubs generate very little revenue on social networks. All of this despite millions of monthly views on their different platforms.
“At that time, stores were closed while e-commerce was exploding” recalls Ahmed Hakkoum co-founder of Fan4all. It was impossible for clubs to create a personal interaction with each fan in the physical world, while the digital world was offering a lot of possibilities.
The two brothers decided to create an all-in-one digital platform, available as a website and a mobile application, which would allow clubs to interact with their fans and diversify their revenues, notably through the marketing of their products and services on the platform. Already major League 1 Uber Eats clubs have been seduced by the concept and are now active on the Fan4all platform, while agreements in principle have been given by ten other clubs.
Initially focused on soccer and the French market, the founders plan to open the platform to other sports disciplines in the short term, and to develop in other countries.
Access to an all-in-one platform
On the user side, Fan4all simplifies the life of fans. It is a central platform that brings together all the news from the sports media and offers exclusive content shared by partner clubs. Fans can follow their favorite clubs and players, chat with other fans, buy match tickets or order exclusive experiences.
Dine with pro players
Combining physical and virtual experiences, Fan4all users have the opportunity to subscribe to exclusive and personalized services. Thus, fans can get VIP access to the games, meet the pro players, participate in autograph sessions or have dinner with star players. In addition, the platform offers immersive virtual experiences, such as fan conferences, a service that allows fans to put themselves in the shoes of a sports journalist and ask questions to players and professional staff members.
⚽️🤝 Nouveau partenaire du MHSC
📲 @Fan4allOfficiel est une nouvelle plateforme sociale dédiée aux amoureux du ballon rond
Vous pouvez suivre l’actu du MHSC, rejoindre une communauté de fans, participer à des jeux concours et vivre des expériences uniques 😍
The metaverse is set to change the way we experience the digital world and it’s shaking things up across industries—professional sports is no exception.
In this bold new digital chapter, sport lovers can access a wealth of fully-immersive fan experiences across channels.
Whether you’re a sports brand or club, embracing the metaverse is likely to boost fan engagement in a big way—pushing you ahead of the competition in the process.
To put you on the path to enlightenment, here we look at the rising role of the metaverse in sports marketing and three inspiring examples of clubs using it to their full advantage.
In the age of the metaverse, sports clubs will have the power to add a whole new depth to their marketing content and experiences, as Brighton Shi, senior product marketing manager at Agora, explains:
“Fans would be able to create their own sports avatar, purchase sports equipment, socialize, co-watch, party, train, work and participate in gaming in this virtual sports arena. It would enable an even more immersive and creative watching experience.”
With virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology becoming increasingly accessible, sports clubs can tap into a whole new space that bridges the gap between the physical and digital world.
Through the metaverse, sports brands and clubs can invite fans to virtual tours and meet & greets, offer a chance to get up close with exclusive content or products, and essentially make them feel like a genuine part of the action.
Here are some quick-fire sports-based metaverse trends for your inspiration:
An increase in ‘fan collectible’ NFT goods and services
The emergence of fully-immerse virtual worlds (like Nikeland) where fans can explore, interact, and get under the skin of the brand or club.
Gamification and eSports will rise in popularity, offering a whole new dimension of fan interaction
3 inspiring examples of sports clubs using the metaverse
Now that you’re up to speed with the metaverse and its potential sports marketing power, let’s look at three inspiring examples of sports clubs using the metaverse to their brand-boosting advantage.
FC Barcelona
Grabbing the metaverse by the virtual horns, the mighty FC Barcelona is entering the metaverse to improve its online sport gaming and online video content offerings.
Not only is the club developing a cohesive mix of highly interactive online gaming experiences, but it’s also creating more in-house content for its online TV channel, complete with immersive opportunities and features.
The club is also looking to add fan NFTs to the mix—a move that could create a lucrative self-sustaining ecosystem that attracts more fans while increasing loyalty.
Birmingham City
Alongside an innovative eSports partner, UK-based Birmingham City has launched a stunning virtual recreation of its home ground, Saint Andrew’s Stadium.
This impressive virtual stadium houses a nostalgic digital museum, a branded games arcade, exclusive membership content, and even a coding camp complete with tutorials and challenges.
The club will also offer its very own set of collectible NFTs and tokens, with some of the proceeds going towards local charities. It’s too early to say exactly how successful this initiative is, but one thing’s for sure: Birmingham City is leading the way in metaverse marketing innovation.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
The power of multimedia content is almost limitless in the age of the metaverse—and Paris Saint-Germain is a testament to that very idea.
The Parisian powerhouse is going all out to make its mark in the metaverse, covering every possible angle imaginable, including:
Club branded NFTs and collectible media
Fan crypto currency wallets
Virtual fashion, clothing, and electronics
Exclusive virtual tours and fan events
Immersive game highlights and footage
This entire virtual sporting empire is available via an easy to navigate portal or app, offering its fans untapped access to the club regardless of where they are in the world. A development that will further propel the club’s international popularity.
Final thoughts…
While on face value, each of these clubs’ metaverse offerings seem similar, each has its own spin and a unique feel.
The big takeaway here is that the metaverse offers sports clubs more scope than ever for getting under the skin of their fans and offering direct value in a way that blurs the lines between the real and virtual sporting realm. And, that’s a powerful thing.
Modern sports marketing agencies are pivotal to inspiring healthy participation and driving fan engagement.
In the digital age, the best sports marketing agencies use a range of channels to connect with passionate target audiences and drive brand awareness within the industry.
There is so much innovation and creativity happening in the biz right now. To celebrate that wonderful fact, here we look at the five best sports marketing agencies of the moment.
Why sports marketing is important in the digital age
Before we look at our rundown of the best sports agencies of 2022, let’s look at why these strategic powerhouses are so important in the digital age. Sports marketing agencies offer…
Targeted content that offers personal value and taps into your audience’s specific interests
Focused and dynamic sports messaging for specific fans or consumers to tap into thriving local markets
Completely original niche experiences, campaigns, and multi-channel content that will make your sports organization, brand or business a trustworthy thought-leader, accelerating your growth in the process
The 5 best sports marketing agencies of 2022 revealed
Now you know why sports marketing agencies are such a big deal, let’s look at the best of the best right now.
1. CAA—evening the playing field
First up, we have the Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Making waves in the industry since 1975, this global sports marketing agency delivers dynamic campaigns across a range of mediums including television, music, and digital media. This ever-evolving collective’s main focus is promoting as well as celebrating diversity in sports—and as such, the CAA works in close collaboration with its clients to deliver experiences that truly resonate with their target audiences. Kudos.
2. SPORTFIVE—the partnership powerhouse
A thriving partnership powerhouse, SPORTFIVE are experts at bringing together sporting brands, fans, media outlets, and rights-holders to develop campaigns or initiatives that offer value to all. This savvy sports marketing agency takes a deep dive into major pockets of the industry to create thought-leading content that enlightens, inspires, and amazes across every channel or touchpoint. An agency that is experiencing a significant level of growth year after year.
3. WePlay—savvy with social media
WePlay offers its sports clients a wealth of powerful promotional services, but the main reason the agency has made it to our list is its ability to earn big wins through social media. As an official Meta Business Partner, WePlay has used its savvy social media skills to earn its clients a collective $300 million in incremental returns (in just 10 years, too). Oh, and WePlay has won some pretty coveted awards in the past decade, including marketing prizes from The DADI Drum and The Football Business Awards.
4. Fifty-ThreeSix—the campaign conceptualists
This energetic agency is well-rounded in terms of its abilities. But, without a doubt, one of Fifty-ThreeSix’s biggest strengths is its ability to conjure up cutting-edge sports marketing campaigns concepts (the kind that really cut through the noise). This celebrated sports marketing agency has worked with the likes of bet365, IRFU, Allianz, and the FA with the aim of converting passionate fans into loyal brand advocates. This recent multi-channel campaign with the Rugby Network is proof that the agency has succeeded in its mission.
5. Samba Digital—a local and international content colossus
Last but certainly not least, we have Samba Digital (us). As a multi award-winning sports marketing agency, we provide a range of cutting-edge services designed for the digital age. In addition to providing thought-leading campaigns for a variety of sports brands, clubs and institutions, we’re also specialists in localisation, community management, monetizations practices, and Esports. Our recent influencer marketing campaign for Playbetr was a roaring success—and you can find out more by checking out our collection of case studies.
Conclusion
“One person can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team.”—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Sports marketing agencies can help sporting brands, teams, and organizations reach new audiences and engage their fanbase in ways they never thought possible. The best agencies in the biz work as an extension to your squad, helping you play to the best of your abilities in a new and exciting digital age. And that’s a beautiful thing.
If you want to find out more about what we can do for your sports brand or organization, please contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.
Today’s hyper-connecting digital playing field offers sports brands and organizations almost limitless scope for connecting with their fans across a wide range of touchpoints.
Through well-crafted and highly-targeted content, you will cut through the noise and inspire your audience in ways that will encourage lifelong loyalty. The right sports marketing campaign will push you ahead of the pack—earning your club, brand or organization droves of new fans in the process.
But, to become that glistening needle in a giant digital haystack, your sports marketing content has to hit the mark.
To inspire your creative efforts, here are four innovative examples of sports marketing in action.
STATSports – the power of storytelling
As a brand that specializes in providing deep dive metrics to professional athletes, STATsport uses the power of storytelling to showcase its key brand USPs in a way that is inspiring and engaging in equal measures.
In addition to launching an influencer-led 2021 sports marketing campaign featuring the likes of Alex Morgan and Tyler Adams, STATSports recently created a behind-the-scenes video of how the University of Delaware uses its GPS Player Trackers to track and improve athletic performance. A narrative that has led to increased brand awareness in a crowded market.
Lesson: Developing an original campaign concept and focusing on telling a story while leaning on your brand, club or organization’s USPs will cut through the noise and drive engagement.
To build a buzz and benefit from a touch of brand-boosting cross-promotion, PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) teamed up with the NHL’s Seattle Krakens in a long-term partnership designed to tackle climate change.
Through this new partnership, the two brands pledge to achieving net-zero annual carbon emissions by 2040. Not only does Pepsi’s sustainable packaging now feature heavily in the Krakens’ Climate Pledge Arena, but it’s also offered enormous scope for creating inspiring cross-promotional social media content.
Lesson: By working with a brand partner that shares your values and working together to develop well-crafted multi-channel content, you will boost your brand reach significantly.
3. Puma, Man City & Roblox- New age immersive marketing
Roblox, Puma, and Manchester City are all leaders in their fields—and combined, they’re a sports marketing tour de force.
To launch its brand new third club strip, Puma and Manchester City decided to tap into the metaverse and allow fans to wear it virtually. In this immersive marketing initiative, fans can dress their Roblox avatars in the new team strip while navigating Puma’s brand new ‘Land of The Games’ experience.
Not only is this a completely original feat of sports marketing, but by offering fans the chance to wear the kit while interacting with other players, Manchester City earned maximum brand exposure. The campaign also inspired droves of social media interaction and user-generated content (UCG).
Lesson: Embracing emerging tech trends and developing and allowing your fans to reach out and touch your brand with your fans will position you as a leader in your field.
4. Quaker’s Super Bowl ad (2022) – how to use a content
A masterclass on how to run with an original hook and flip a traditional concept on its head, Quaker Oats’ 2022 Super Bowl commercial is nothing short of iconic.
With all of the essential ingredients of a super emotive Super Bowl beer commercial (sweeping shots of hop fields, sweating brewers, and nostalgic music), Quaker launched a campaign that urged beer-swilling football fans to ‘pre-grain before the big game.’ A brilliant play on words and an original concept that earned the oats brand a healthy return on investment (ROI).
Lesson:Using a specific brand USP to create a punchy campaign hook being bold or creative with your messaging will propel your sports marketing efforts from average to amazing.
Why creative content is essential for a sports brand
As a sports club, brand or organization, focusing on creative content will empower you to showcase everything you have to offer in a way that offers genuine value to your audience.
If you get your sports marketing content right, you will:
Drive brand growth
Inspire fan loyalty
Connect with fans using new and creative mediums
Create a deeper level of engagement and interaction
Provide quality messaging that resonates with your target audience
We hope these inspiring examples of sports marketing have offered a little fuel for the creative fire—and if you need help with your content creation and campaign efforts, please get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.
Club Atlético River Plate received the 2022 Samba Awards trophy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after the Millonario’s win in the Engagement category last March.
Thanks to the “Tu momento de ser Socio” campaign in 2021, River Plate won the Engagement category of the 2022 Samba Awards and now it was Stefano Di Carlo, General Secretary of the club, who received the trophy in hands of Johnny Hemann, Creative Chief at Samba Digital, at the Mâs Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“This award is very important for River because it is a recognition of the digital strategy that we have started since the beginning of our management, more than eight years ago”, Di Carlo said.
River Plate won the award beating Fortaleza and Flamengo, second and third place respectively, in the Engagement category after the great work from the Argentinian giant with “Tu momento de ser Socio”. That great campaign helped them to generate over USD 1 million in customer lifetime value using Facebook and Instagram.
Results from River Plate’s “Tu momento de ser Socio campaign”
5.5x QoQ increase in 1-min video views on River Plate’s Facebook Page*
+80% QoQ increase in interactions on River Plate’s Facebook Page*
+$1 Million USD in customer lifetime value by increasing their members by more than 3,100 and their registered users by nearly 16,800
The month of June saw the participation of fans with the clubs’ social media profiles drop in Latin America.
The average of 302 million interactions – including Instagram, Twitter and Facebook in six countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay) – dropped dramatically in June: 274 million.
This trend was registered across all social media networks.
In direct comparison with the previous month (May), Facebook had a drop of 6 million interactions – a decrease of 12%. This drop was led by the Mexican clubs, that went from 20.53 million interactions to 13.41 million.
The performance on Facebook made Mexico fall behind Brazil on the platform. In May, Mexico had 20.53 million interactions, against 17.76 million for Brazilian Serie A clubs.
“Inactivity is the main reason for this drop. The tournament stopped for almost two months and during the pre-season there is not much content. Of course, when they announce signings or important dates for the semester, the interaction returns”, said Juan Pablo López Villegas, editor of Bolavip, one of the main Mexican media outlets.
The main social media platform in number of interactions, Instagram also dropped for a few reasons.
The first is the fact that Brazilian numbers in recent weeks have been below expectations. The second downfall is technical: Instagram does not provide data regarding Reels.
“Today, Reels is one of the best possible strategies to generate reach. The platform’s algorithm benefits this type of content, pushing it more prominently in the Explore tab and thus reaching people who are not yet your followers, but will be impacted by the content.” explains Wagner Leitzke, Social Media Manager at Samba Digital.
As a result, the number did not grow proportionally to the number of posts.
Nonetheless, Flamengo kept the lead, and the post with most likes and organic comments was the fanaticism of one of its fans.
Finally, Twitter, despite the small drop in relation to the previous month, also remained in the monthly oscillation of the last few months.
“Twitter presents a very peculiar form of consumption. Consolidated in Brazil as the second main social media platform, its format did not take off in the other countries analyzed. Chile, for instance, managed to enter the 20+ only twice, and the numbers of interactions between clubs and users never grow steadily”, reveals Bernardo Besouchet, PR Manager at Samba Digital, responsible for the agency’s digital performance analysis.
In the digital age, sports brands and teams have an ever-expanding number of fan engagement opportunities at their fingertips.
From email and social media to mobile apps, loyalty schemes, and beyond, sports marketing is a rewarding playing field for brands or teams willing to explore the right channels or touchpoints.
To stand out from the crowd, delivering experiences that offer your fans personal value is essential. As a sports team or brand, you have to inspire, entertain, and amaze—and here we’re going to show you how.
1. Deliver exclusive or personalized content
Did you know? 92% of leading marketers and businesses see content marketing as an invaluable business asset.
By creating exclusive content for specific segments of your fan base across a mix of online channels, you will offer a level of personal value that will not only grow your audience—but boost your brand awareness.
Content is a powerful promotional tool for sports teams, clubs or brands. If you take time to get to know your audience by using data and buyer personas, you can get extra personal with your content.
Creating exclusive content (from email newsletters and blog posts to personalized landing pages and social media communications) that meets the needs and interests of your fanbase will show fans that you’re an authority in your niche—it will also demonstrate your value as a modern sports team or brand.
To engage Spanish football fans in the English Premier League, we produced a show with Cracks Columbia. A geo-gated TikTok-based stream of the Merseyside Derby, this highly-targeted exclusive content earned over 500,000 views and resulted in over 4,000 competition entries. A testament to the power of content in sports marketing.
2. Create immersive sports fan experiences
Another effective engagement tool in sports marketing is creating immersive fan experiences.
We live in an age where sports fans can access information about their favorite sports teams or brands with the swipe of a screen or the click of a button. To win on the commercial battlefield, using this untapped access to content or information to your advantage will put you in the poll position.
The sports tech market is set to reach $31.1 billion by 2024—a clear indication that digital sports events and marketing is a worthy investment.
Creating immersive fan experiences that place people at the heart of the action is paramount to success in today’s world. Virtual stadium tours, high quality live streams with access to exclusive footage or content, and even virtual reality (VR)-based experiences are all viable ways of creating maximum engagement in the digital age.
To gain momentum after the pandemic, the Bundesliga teamed up with AWS to launch ‘Bundesliga Match Facts’. This immersive initiative offered fans extra game statistics by honing in on live video feeds and using machine learning (ML) technology to tailor the experience to the fans. An inspiring concept that earned droves of engagement.
3. Inspire fan loyalty
Did you know?83% of consumers say loyalty programs make them more likely to engage with brands or organizations.
Developing a loyalty scheme or incentivizing people to interact with you online, you will improve your retention rates while turning casual fans into loyal brand or team advocates (helping you to grow your fanbase further in the process).
Creating a loyalty scheme or incentives will empower you to engage with your fans directly while offering access to exclusive events, content, merchandise, and experiences. Doing so will inspire your audience to remain active fans rather than passive followers—creating sustainably healthy levels of engagement in the process.
Sports apparel colossus Nike, for example, has developed a digital rewards scheme with input from leading athletes. The wildly successful loyalty scheme offers access to members-only deals, inspirational fan content, and highly-targeted experiential rewards (including exclusive sporting event access, athlete meet and greets, and personalized products).
The branding is on point and every pocket of the fan or customer journey is seamless. Another driving force behind this world-famous sports brand’s continued growth and success.
Why having a sports marketing campaign is important
If you combine these three powerful sports marketing engagement concepts, you can create campaigns that will not only give you an edge on the competition, but it will accelerate the growth of your fanbase.
By investing more time and resources into your sports marketing efforts, you will:
Build trust and authority in your niche
Earn more fans
Cement fan loyalty and brand advocacy
Remain adaptable in an ever-changing digital age
Earn more revenue and steer your team or brand in right direction
At Samba Digital, we have the talent, the track record, and the experience to get you where you need to be. As a leading international sports marketing agency, we’ve worked with some of the world’s best sports brands and teams on a wealth of successful promotional campaigns. Now we want to work with you.
To find out more about what we can do for your sports brand or team, explore our library of recent case studies.
We, at Samba Digital, have decided to analyze the YouTube performances of 32 teams that have qualified for the World Cup.
This first article will be about YouTube and the analyzed period 2022.
Despite not being the national team with the highest number of subscribers on its channel, England (@FATV) is the one with the most views on its publications in 2022.
Overall, there were 641.9 million views until June 12.
Second place in the ranking, France is the team with the most interactions. In other words, likes, dislikes and comments.
It is also interesting to note that countries that are smaller in population have a great number of followers.
But, interestingly, these numbers may soon change as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 approaches.
The recent growth brings news in the list from January to here.
And the social media editors & cameramen that worked the most were the French…
