Football clubs are putting PR at the heart of their comms strategy - and reaping the rewards
Football fans up and down the country will know the feeling. Constantly refreshing your Twitter feed to check if your team has found the final jigsaw puzzle to propel them toward the Premier League title. He finally signs - cue fanfare, interviews with the player, general knowledge articles and all-round hysteria. It demonstrates how in just a matter of years social media has become integral to fanship and football.
The worlds of marketing, PR and social media are now a big part of how football teams operate. But believe it or not there was a time before all this, when the world's biggest football teams were not paying such close attention to their PR departments.
Manchester United are the biggest football team in England and, debatably, the world. For me they are a huge example of how pivotal PR has become in football. Six years ago they allowed one of their hottest young prospects, Paul Pogba, to move on for free to Juventus in Italy. Fast forward four years and they buy Pogba back, initiating one of the most drawn out transfer sagas in football history that would eventually make him the most expensive footballer in the world (at least for a while).
Fans were literally champing at the bit for confirmation of the transfer, and when it finally came Pogba had already inherited a popstar-esque stature. Social media was sent into overdrive with content and hashtags centred around the French star returning, with Man United running ‘#Pogback’ with even his own emoji.
Then there was a collaboration video featuring Pogba (an Adidas athlete) and Stormzy (a prominent UK rapper, also part of the Adidas roster) rapping and dancing dressed in Manchester United kit (Man U are also sponsored by Adidas).
The whole thing was a PR explosion and for the first time in a while I had started to believe the football world had gone mad. From a business perspective, allowing a player who was on your books to leave for free, only to buy him back four years later for £90 million seems absolutely ludicrous. Surely that's a shocking investment and a hugely avoidable mishap that would punch a hole through the heart of Manchester United’s financial situation? Right?
Wrong. When you factor in his shirt sales reaching £190 million within three weeks, then the whole PR stunt makes perfect sense. Not only are United getting a player of extreme quality, but also by turning him into an international popstar they are actually getting value for their money at £90 million! How insane is that? And this is before we even mention the benefits for Adidas, the kit manufacturer who sponsor Man U and also Pogba.
In other words, the deal made perfect sense for everyone involved, especially Adidas, who hold Pogba as arguably their most prized asset - someone who they invest most of their marketing and advertising budgets into.
Now, let's take a look further down the leagues. This year, Bristol City (who play in the English Championship) have implemented a PR stunt that was never before seen in the world of Football. They used their Twitter account to give fans a glimpse of the players, which is nothing groundbreaking, but the way in which they did it has hooked the nation, and has pretty much made them the nation’s favourite second team.
Whenever City score, instead of tweeting an ordinary goal update, their twitter account will tweet a hilarious gif of the goalscorer doing something completely random! Examples include players cracking eggs on their heads, brushing their teeth or even doing the ironing, and this one of midfielder Bobby Reid cracking 2 beer cans over his head!
GOAL: #BristolCity 1-0 Wolves, Reid 53. #BRCvWOL pic.twitter.com/Pu8K4e3Rx5
— Bristol City FC (@bcfctweets) December 30, 2017
(See more here)
So here we see a Football team using clever content not only to give their fans fun insights into their players, but also to boost their engagement and exposure with general fans of football up and down the country. One would be forgiven for mistaking them for a PR company!
When you consider their strong start to the season which places them firmly in the promotion race and a massive cup win against the aforementioned juggernauts Manchester United, then you have a football team who are massively on the up. All this on pitch success enhances the clubs stature and size, but the clever off-field PR moments have also hooked onto fans and keeps Bristol City at the forefront of their minds.
The world of PR is ever-changing. With the explosion of social media, content has been adapted to be more snappy and hard-hitting than ever, and football has changed to match it. Football teams are paying more attention to their PR then ever, and are reaping the business and exposure benefits because of it.
2017 – Letting The Numbers Do The Talking
Although the PR industry has developed remarkably over the past few decades, one thing that hasn’t changed is our compulsive need to use bizarre jargon to sell our wares. Incubators for influencers, accelerators for thought leaders, alignment for holistic viewers. Surely it’s time to de-layer the ecosystem?
While some may argue that the many faces of the digital revolution has necessitated an explosion of terminology in PR, it also threatens to overcomplicate what are often very simple objectives. Brands seldom approach us with such terminology in hand, so are we not doing them a disservice by adding waffle to their brief?
Here at 72Point we achieved a record-breaking year in 2017 by going back to basics. We have expanded into areas such as social media while solidifying our national media base by sticking to the basic principle that good stories perform well on any platform. And the proof is in the pudding.
We generated over five thousand print and digital cuts for our clients across the year, landing on an average of 15 publications for every story we put out. Add social media engagement statistics to that – a total of 635,000 shares across the year – and you get a decent picture of how our clients are getting serious bang for their buck.
But the highlight of 2017 was how we took our traditional press offering and applied it to social media. With a new social team in place – including UNILAD hires and a new social media management structure – we were able to generate a succession of viral campaigns, one of which was aired on Good Morning America with Will Ferrell and others which garnered a reach of hundreds of thousands of people across our social media suite of platforms.
Along with our national media offering and regional publication package we were delighted to introduce the Breakthrough Package in 2017 which delivers unrivalled cut-through for clients looking to get national exposure as well as touching the regions and getting traction on social media with the people who really matter to them.
The inflatable sanctuary project run for Hotels.com is a classic example of this. The project, featuring a mock ‘sanctuary’ for left-behind animal inflatables, was a huge hit with the national media garnering 29 pieces of organic coverage on titles such as The Telegraph, Daily Mail and Fox News. It also ran across over 170 Johnston Press regional titles and was distributed to tens of thousands of people on social media who are interested in travel or thinking about booking a holiday – a remarkable result all told.
It is a package we look forward to delivering more of in the New Year, quite simply because it delivers what it says on the tin without getting bogged down in meaningless jargon. It guarantees national exposure, it guarantees regional hits and it guarantees a targeted social boost or your money back.
That’s a straight-talking package from a straight-talking agency.
How social media turned TV audiences into ‘sheeple’ – and how you can influence them
Social media has played an increasingly advanced role in shaping what we watch.
It informs us on what the next groundbreaking progrmme is to see, advises us on new talking points to dish amongst work colleagues or friends and it shows us what our friends and our influencers are interested in.
Consequently, critics and wannabe influencers now have the platforms to actively share their voice and impact our decisions, which has become impossible to avoid.
I noticed this trend recently when my mum surprisingly started watching Blue Planet, which is a far cry away from her normal television schedule of Strictly and Downton Abbey.
It is also hard to find a day in the office where someone isn’t trying to converse over the latest episode of Stranger Things.
Significantly, in digging a bit deeper, it became clear that there are clear parallels with social media’s influence on what we want to watch.
This study delves into this debate and how through social media and PR you can influence individuals to watch your content.
The Statistics
If the above doesn’t convince you, numbers will.
As early as 2013, it was reported by Yahoo!7 in a poll of 7,000 individuals that “42% of respondents said they had chosen to watch a particular show because of a social media recommendation and 38% said they became aware of television shows through Facebook and Twitter,” evidencing how social media has turned us into TV Sheeple.
Interestingly, in the Yahoo!7 survey it was stated “43% used social media while watching television,” which demonstrates the connection between the two and the opportunity to boost viewership based on social media activity. This is given further strength as it was corroborated by Ericcson’s surveyof 30,000 people in 2016 that highlighted “64% of consumers say at least once a week they use a mobile device to complement or supplement what they are watching on television.”
In looking at viewership rates, Erriccson reported that since 2010, the share of viewing hours spent on-demand short video clips has jumped 86%. This statistic is particularly important as these clips which are mainly categorised as Youtube videos are based on content that is more reliant on social media, further highlighting the strength of social media in increasing viewership.
Additionally, such is the impact of social media influencers to our life, that Nielson’s in their Millenials on Millennials report, recorded that male Millennials have a “higher opinion of trending social media stars than they do for sports stars, pop stars, actors and actresses.” Thus showing how much influence social media influencers have on our viewing choices but also how far social media has come in allowing these individuals to have a platform to be more respected than traditionally known celebrities.
With the recent outcry over fake news, it should be noted that some people don’t even watch television, such is the influence of social media as a source of information. According to the Conversation in 2016, it recorded globally, for all age groups under 45, “online news is now ranked as more important than television news.” Particularly among the consumer group of 18 to 24 year olds, social media at 28% was rated more important than TV at 24%.
Overall, these statistics paint an effective picture that social media to a large extent has been and can be responsible for our viewing habits. The tricky part is using the platforms we have to affect this.
The Unilad Model
Unilad, a platform that is synonymous with being a giant in social media and the place that unearths the latest trending content, is the best example of this.
Launched in 2014 as an entertainment outlet for UK students, its rapid rise coinciding with its campaign for The Inbetweeners 2 movie and The Entourage movie stressed how media has shifted in generating mass traffic.
Starting out as a Facebook group, its large global share of the social media world has meant that Quantcast, an audience measurement company, discovered that “Unilad users are over 5X more interested in film and entertainment than the average internet user.” Therefore, when promoting content to its 34 million audience on Facebook alone, it was the largest site in the world to host the official trailer of Inbetweeners 2. Notably it also received the greatest amount of views and shares of the UK trailer for the Entourage film.
Consequently, as a platform Unilad have understood their audience to match their needs without being too intrusive and their audience has complied to share their content. Utilising these skills sounds simple enough but it can backfire if not done with care and consideration for your audience. Significantly, this is why sites similar to Unilad are able to generate such reach and are the starting point in that discussion with your friend at the pub or at work, as to what you are excited to watch next.
PR Stunts
Stunts are always a good way to stimulate interest for an upcoming series or film.
A recent example of this successfully working is the 2017 Baywatch film where coinciding with its release, a slow-mo marathon was held in Los Angeles. This gained traffic through social media with 60,000 views on Youtube alone and was likely a shared talking point for many people during the day who witnessed the event. It further gained shares and mentions on major publications, like Adweek and Campaign for its efforts.
More effectively, the best example is the 2012 stratos jump from Red Bull, where Felix Baumgartner became the first person to break the sound barrier. This stunt produced and broadcast by Red Bull pulled in 8 million live views on Youtube and currently stands at 42 million views on their channel. Although not solely responsible for Red Bull’s expansion into cementing itself as more than an energy drink, it did significantly assist in helping it transition its focus on the media front.
Incorporating Social Media into your Show
Audiences of yesteryear had less influence on what they saw on their favourite programmes or films with only little opportunity that their sentiments would be heard by a network exec.
However, the introduction of social media has changed this dynamic, as today’s viewers can not only watch a show but also share their feelings in real time. This has also changed the role of the producer of these programmes, for they can potentially know what is popular or not by what is trending on social media platforms. In essence social media has transformed live television into a “global social experience.”
It should be noted that this isn’t exclusive to television, as live game broadcasts on Twitch, events shown on Youtube Live, Periscope or Facebook live, all offer opportunities to be involved and have your thoughts heard.
Although consumer feedback is not necessarily a new invention with the previous method used as SMS, it is notable how much more influence social media has in this area. For that reason, those conversations on Facebook or Twitter shouldn’t be underrated in their importance to the higher-ups. Consequently, popular channels and television stations are using this to their advantage to encourage people to share and promote their shows.
An example of this working very well is WWE or World Wrestling Entertainment. For those who thought wrestling was just men in tights drop-kicking each other prepare to be surprised. Forbes reported at the end of 2016, WWE had close to 739 million followers. They also anticipate that by 2018 this will surpass 1 billion. Additionally, now that your attention has been caught, you may be left wondering how this is possible?
>Well, WWE has mastered the art of making the views of their audience heard. Regular viewers will know that at different points in the show, a running tab of social media comments will be displayed on the bottom of the screen displaying people’s opinions on the show thus far. Therefore, if your comment is merited you will be rewarded on live television for your views, thus enabling the incentive to share your views.
Importantly, in every match or segment, there is a hashtag in the corner of the screen so people know what to mention and they inform the viewer with a notification in the opposing corner when they are trending worldwide.
The use of hashtags or encouraging individuals to share is given extra weight as is it also cited by Daily Nationwho mention “that the more a show is talked about the better the chances it stands of surviving…It starts with a simple hashtag like #NowWatching which makes it easy to track the conversation.” Moreover. that article goes as far as to say that “TV shows cannot run away from social media but should just embrace it.”
Overall, there is a lot of credence to suggest that the more your content is talked about, the more weight it lends to not just survival but also revenue. Consequently, mere things like hashtags or encouragement to share or subscribe can be very important to measure success and gain it.
72 Point’s Work
Our company’s influence is exemplified by a wide range of work but most recently, the work utilised for the History Channel on the build up of their “World War True” season strongly demonstrated the importance of PR and social media side-by-side.
Using our creative team and our extensive research arm which covered 2,000 respondents, 72 Point were able to demonstrate the shocking lack of knowledge regarding WW2 with some people mistakenly believing Germany and Britain fought on the same side. Coinciding with the survey which demonstrated more startling statistics, a quizz was generated to highlight the top 10 WW2 films.
These facts displayed on our site and spread across our wide media connections through social media and marketing platforms elevated the serious concern for these issues but also generated significant buzz for History Channel’s new programme. Examples of the success of our campaign are displayed by it reaching an online readership of 448 million combined with it being circulated by print to an audience of 4.45 million. The value of our sources gained in print and digital is highlighted by major publications like The Independant, The Sun, Mirror and UniLad promoting the story. Ultimately, this campaign built publicity in a unique way and assisted in turning people into TV Sheeple.
Conclusion
While the social media world seems like a competitive battlefield for attention it can effectively be used to your advantage. Utilising some of the tips above or just acknowledging the statistics can help and it should be known that the game has not just changed but evolved. Significantly to stay one step ahead of your competitors is necessary in this market and it is solely up to you to find ways in social media to step
Start a Conversation this Christmas
Recognising Loneliness as a chronic issue in the UK, the late Jo Cox MP established a cross-party initiative called the Jo Cox Loneliness Commission, of which 15 major charities including Age UK, British Red Cross and The Silver Line UK are taking part. The Commission aimed ‘not simply to highlight the problem, but more importantly to act as a call to action. With the message ‘Start a Conversation’ about loneliness, and with each other. The Commission has got people talking at all levels – whether chatting to a neighbour, visiting an old friend, or just making time for the people they meet. After a year of research and community-building activities it will close on the 15th of December.
Bereavement is a prevalent cause of isolation that affects everyone, but in particular the older generation. Chronic loneliness can often set in when an individual loses close friends and partners who they have gone through their entire life with, leaving them with no one to spend time with on a daily basis. This leads to a vicious cycle where an individual has next-to-no contact with the outside world, therefore they cannot meet new people and make new friends and feel increasingly isolated from society. Charities such as Sue Ryder launched their #ConnectingThread campaign, which is on online community to provide people going through a difficult time with support – the campaign has provided people with a safe place to find practical advice, and an opportunity to share what they’re going through.
Poor health is another factor which can be experienced at any age and one that limits people’s contact with society. It’s an unfortunate fact that many elderly individuals are more prone to suffering from poor health, making it difficult for them to get around town or even their own home. Half a million people over 60 usually spend their day alone. In July 2015, Co-op and British Red Cross launched an innovative partnership to tackle this. The partnership has raised £6 million to fund new Red Cross services, helping over 12,500 people connect with their local communities by providing up to 12 weeks of practical support, helping finding activities and groups to join.
The Silver Line UK is the only national, free and confidential helpline for older people that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 68% of callers contact The Silver Line because they feel lonely or isolated, 90% live alone, and 54% say they have no one else to speak to. The charity is doing great ground work in providing older people with practical support, or simply giving them someone to have a chat with. Last Christmas, The Silver Line say they were unable to answer 5,000 calls due to huge demand. It costs £5 to answer a call. So this year, we at 72Point have partnered with The Silver Line to help them answer every single one.
We pride ourselves on being conversation starters. This Christmas we will launch our #StartAConversation campaign, urging people to talk about issues of loneliness, and more importantly – talk to each other.
We’ll be launching a new video on Friday the 24th of November to help The Silver Line start conversations that count this Christmas.
Stay tuned.
72Point Celebrates Its First 250k Share Month
Little did we know that a decade on 72Point was more symbolic of the number of online shows we make – three campaigns in September, ironically, had precisely that number of hits. But in many ways extensive media coverage is just one part of our arsenal today – which is why our first quarter of a million share month is massively poignant.
Interactions and engagements have become the currency of the internet today, and we have invested significantly in social media to ensure that “shareability” is at the forefront of everything we do.
The chief reason why is undoubtedly volume. Likes and shares are the equivalent of buying a newspaper in the old days and leaving it in a waiting room or office canteen. The copy shifts from one pair of eyes into a social or professional group of many, putting the content to work by opening networks of like-minded people.
But social media allows you to do much more than just spread the word. Through groups and friendship circles it allows you to talk to the people who really matter to you, and we’re becoming increasingly targeted with every project we do.
Take, for example, the inflatables sanctuary story we ran for Hotels.com. On the one hand the client was delighted by over 30,000 social media interactions to complement almost 3m coverage views, but they were equally delighted that we were able to position their brand in front of people booking a holiday on social media with a nostalgic, light-hearted video that was well targeted.
Soon, social media shares will not only be the currency of the public relations industry but everything else PR firms pertain to now cover. Google now uses social media indicators as a ranking signal, and marketers are flocking to social media in bid to engage consumers rather than just stuff commercialised fluff in their face.
The take-home is that unless social media is at the forefront of your strategy moving forward then you are