How the Year 2020 Changed Marketing in the Sports and Entertainment Industries
If there’s one thing this year has taught us as marketers, it’s that the way we go about reaching consumers will probably never be the same.
Due to the series of events that have continuously rattled the world this year, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing fight for racial equality through the Black Lives Matter movement, and voter awareness, marketers have been forced to adapt to the many changes the world is going through. This includes how campaigns are executed, who is being targeted, and what stance to take, particularly on social or political topics. For sports specifically, we saw many notable athletes along with the four major sports leagues use their platforms to speak out on some of 2020’s most important topics. The NBA in particular received a lot of attention this year because they managed to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, racial injustice, and voter awareness simultaneously. By finishing the remainder of the season at Walt Disney World months after the season was temporarily suspended on March 11th, the NBA had a unique opportunity to showcase their response to the pandemic.
In this ad we see the NBA using the influence of some of its more notable athletes to encourage the general public to follow CDC guidelines. Another way the NBA indirectly marketed to their fans was by successfully completing the season without any positive COVID-19 cases. Though it wasn’t a formal marketing campaign, their actions showed the world that there can one day be a safe return to sports and life in general if the proper measures are taken.
With 81% of the players being African American, the Black Lives Matter movement hits a little closer to home for the NBA. During the summer, we saw many NBA players and coaches taking action and aiding the movement in any way possible. After deliberation amongst the top executives, the NBA decided to have a Black Lives Matter emblem at center court during all the remaining games.
This powerful gesture the NBA made showed the world that they stand with the movement and are willing to go against the status quo to show it. Along with this message, the NBA encouraged its players to continue to utilize their social media platforms to share petitions and promote foundations necessary to the Black Lives Matter movement.
Additionally, leading up to the 2020 Presidential Election, the NBA began circulating campaigns encouraging their viewers to register to vote and to vote early. LeBron James specifically went above and beyond, starting his “More Than a Vote” campaign, which was a social media based outlet that shared voting information such as how to register, how to research candidates, and how to find polls.
The
I Am A Voter video is just one of the many ways the NBA uses the influence of their most notable players in the campaigns they create. This spot serves as a call to action for Americans to use their voice and get out to the polls. The results were apparent, and
in the 2020 Presidential Election, there were 6.2 million first time voters, the most ever. The year 2020 has been challenging for a multitude of industries with both brands and individuals navigating through the insurmountable changes of an unexpected year. The marketing industry was no exception and has been forced to make some tough decisions, but if there’s one thing the NBA has shown us, it’s that if we’re willing to adapt, we can make a difference.
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