In the past, brands have poured their sponsorship dollars into branding by slapping their logo on promotional products. Now, with the rise of technology, social media, and user-generated content, it is critical to take fan experience and engagement into account when it comes to sponsorship choices brands make. Social media provides brands the opportunity to see what consumers really want and think. Because of this, brands have now started to move away from one-dimensional sponsorships to multi-faceted fan-first approaches to create authentic experiences and interactions, shared between a brand and its target consumers.
The number of branded events have in turn increased and it’s important to dive into consumer data in order to create campaigns that benefit both the brand and the consumer. However, consumer data should be handled carefully and should only be used when a consumer opts-in to give away their information and preferences. When consumer data is used correctly, brands can then create an authentic voice and connection that relates to a specific target audience. These authentic connections create trust between the brand and the consumer – promoting an overall positive experience for both parties. A personalized interaction will go further than in-your-face blanketed marketing strategies without consideration of the individual.
Fan-first marketing doesn’t just apply to individual brands and consumers; it applies to all B2C interactions. The more a business listens to its audience, the higher the ROI for consumers and businesses alike. As an agency family, we’ve seen this first hand with the growth of PMX Event’s Celebrity Fan Fest over the past year. PMX Events leveraged the attendee feedback provided across Facebook, Instagram, word of mouth, and personal connections to make adjustments across all aspects of the event to improve the experience for attendees, vendors, volunteers, and talent. For example, they created interactive experiences with groups like the San Antonio Aquarium, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and Class Axe to provide integrated partnerships between businesses and consumers. PMX Events also made sure to provide areas that fans requested – like a kid’s zone for younger fans and their families. These examples and so many more led to better overall event experiences for everyone involved.
In order to market your brand effectively in this new age of rising technology and social media, brands have to adapt. By putting fans first and utilizing their provided data, brands can create personalized and meaningful interactions that break through the noise much more than just a logo, but as an authentic top-of-mind choice for consumers.
With over three decades of experience, The PM Group can help take your sponsorships to the next level. Give us a call to learn how.
About The PM Group: The PM Group was founded in 1988. For over 30 years, the agency has continued to grow and is San Antonio’s largest advertising agency. The PM Group’s client roster spans numerous industries including automotive, CPG, entertainment and sports marketing, legal, business services, non-profit, real estate and fitness. In addition, the agency hosts an annual Charity Gala that to date has raised millions of dollars for local San Antonio area non-profit organizations in the last 15 years! In the past 5 years, The PM Group has raised both directly and indirectly over $3.5 million for these charities. It is our way of giving back to the community that we so humbly serve.
