Platform aims to build affinity among younger audiences for broadcasters and rights holders
Snapchat enters 2023 coming off the back of huge audiences related to the Qatar 2022 World Cup, and looking to cement a place as where broadcasters and rights holders can reach younger audiences.
During Q4 of 2022, over 60 million Snapchatters viewed World Cup Stories content on the app, with more than 285 million using its World Cup AR lenses - where users could see themselves in the shirts of their favourite team (available for France, Belgium, USA, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar) or other World Cup related clothing and items. This is now expected to expand for similar experiences with football clubs globally.
As Kahlen Macaulay, senior manager for international sports partnerships at Snap, told Broadcast Sport, this overwhelmingly younger audience offers differing opportunities for broadcasters, governing bodies, and teams - that go beyond sharing short highlights clips from matches.
“Broadcasters have premium rights and use us because they want to engage younger fans and build an affinity with their brand. Governing bodies have a slightly different opportunity. They possibly don’t have access to rights, although some, like F1, carve out digital rights, so it’s about giving access to marks and IP, such as FIFA using an AR filter with the World Cup trophy recently.
“There are also opportunities with data, such as an AR lens used with FIFA to see stats and scores from every game at the World Cup.”
He added: “Teams can provide a behind-the-scenes look and be freer than a governing body – they can show the team bus, changing rooms, moments in training. Real Madrid and Barcelona are great at this, using the platform to build affinity with the team through the week before matches.”
PSG used the AR lens technology to celebrate its 10th Ligue 1 title last year, allowing fans to mark the victory by appearing with the trophy and alongside celebratory messages.
When approaching the platform, Macaulay believes it is important to be thinking longer term than immediate monetisation - although a recent tie-up with JD Sports for the Women’s Euros did allow people to buy home nation kits after “trying them on” in AR. He points to the need to engage with audiences while their choice of favourite team or player is still being decided.
“It’s a long-term play, in the industry we talk about quarterly growth but these are lifelong relationships. We need to get to teens in their formative years.” Speaking to Gen Z also needs to be done differently than with other cohorts. “Gen Z will engage, but they consume differently. They’re more lean in, following an athlete rather than a team, and can be more interested in things such as the clothing athletes wear or their values.”
This usually means going beyond just highlights, although users will watch them. “People expect to find highlights quite easily. For example, Sky Sports has every Premier League and WSL moment available. Content is great, but people look to us for more. At its core it’s about adding to the fan experience and creating something that makes fans say, ‘Oh, that’s surprising’.”
This can involve using sport as part of a wider portfolio of content, or partnering with individuals and groups in other genres. “Sports fans probably also live music, art, cinema, etc. So we see it as part of that offering.”
Tapping into values is also important, and a partnership with Kugali Media and Kick It Out for the men’s Euro 2020 saw an AR Lens that allowed Snapchatters to see AR statues of four of the most iconic black football players from the England National team next to Bobby Moore’s statue outside Wembley Stadium.
Going forward, Macaulay reveals that Snap will be looking further into AR activations, and looking at more uses of data in sport, “Imagine an F1 race in AR, with live data on cars showing gaps between racers etc.” but avoiding straying into broadcasters’ territory. “Live is best served by our broadcast partners so we don’t want to be involved.”
Overall, the platform will be aiming to stick by its current content innovations. “It isn’t just content for consuming, but allowing fans to interact with content.”
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