Executing an effective digital strategy has never been more important, especially in the realm of mobile. One popular feature that marketers have embraced is real-time story-style content, which showcases behind-the-scenes images and videos to their audience.
How have mobile apps become the next destination for story telling?
In the competitive landscape of social media, it has become increasingly challenging for sports teams to differentiate themselves. As a solution, mobile apps have emerged as a valuable tool for creating memorable, team-focused content.
The Rover Platform enables teams to launch story-like campaigns on their mobile apps. By transitioning this popular content from social media to their mobile app, teams can deliver exceptional experiences in a distraction-free environment, all while allowing more fans to engage with both the content and team sponsors.
A great example of this can be seen with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who published incredible GameDay+ content in their mobile app this season. The GameDay+ section included a variety of Rover-powered fan engagement campaigns, such as trivia, wallpaper downloads, curated playlists, and more. Additionally, the Cavs utilized story-like activations, showcasing player walk-ins/arrivals, warm-ups, and photo galleries, each featuring a unique sponsor and design.
“Recognizing how our fans love consuming our player walk-in photos on Instagram, we wanted to provide them with even more ways to enjoy that content where, when, and how they want. That’s part of the reason we included these highly-engaged tap-through mobile experiences via Rover in our GameDay+ section of the Cavs app. It has kept fans regularly coming back for more."
Georgia Sapounas
Cavaliers’ Director, Digital Products & Innovation
Chiefs Turn to Stories for Super Bowl Sunday
Another advantage of using these story-like templates through Rover is that teams have unlimited design flexibility for their campaigns. This allows teams to showcase their unique content and sponsors seamlessly.
The focus on design and branding is evident in the Kansas City Chiefs mobile stories launched for Super Bowl LV. These stories were customized in Chiefs red and gold, while also highlighting the Super Bowl brand.
In this campaign, the Chiefs featured 25 of their players departing from Kansas City to Tampa Bay. By presenting their beloved stars in off-field attire, the team was able to create an authentic connection between fans and their favorite players, while building excitement for the upcoming game and promoting their travel partners.
Chicago Becomes “Bullish” on Stories
The Chicago Bulls are another team that has elevated mobile storytelling. During the past season, they launched a "Virtual Home Court" campaign that offered fans an immersive behind-the-scenes experience on game day. This virtual campaign featured important game highlights, real-time player arrivals, footage from the pre-game shootaround, and interactive games and activities for fans of all ages.
One of the highlights of their use of stories is how they connected sponsors to their various activations in a way that made sense for both their fans and partners. The Bulls shared behind-the-scenes images of their mascot Benny promoting one of their major partners, Jewel Osco, throughout the stadium.
This distinctive content was enjoyed by fans of all ages and provided a different perspective of the game and the stadium that fans wouldn't typically have access to.
Raiders “Draft” Up Awesome Mobile Story
The opportunities for this storytelling method are limitless. An example of its use is by the Las Vegas Raiders, who recently employed stories to feature their 2021 first-round draft pick, Alex Leatherwood.
The experience provided fans with behind-the-scenes images of Leatherwood as he arrived at Raiders HQ for the first time. This mobile campaign allowed fans to meet the newest addition to the team and establish a stronger connection.
The team did an excellent job designing the mobile experience, incorporating the Raiders' black and silver branding and utilizing captivating parallax effects that showcased Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium.
Similar to other storytelling platforms, the Raiders used Rover to seamlessly include links to other sections of their app and external website. For example, some screens featured a button with a link for fans to pre-order Leatherwood's Raiders jersey, while others linked to their app page highlighting the 2022 NFL Draft in Las Vegas.
Storytelling Primed for Success on Mobile
In today's digital world, where social media noise is abundant, mobile apps have emerged as the next marketing tool for brands. They provide an opportunity to deliver behind-the-scenes stories and enhance brand engagement. By utilizing mobile apps, brands can keep their users within their own data-rich ecosystem, rather than redirecting them to third-party social networks.
Interactive storytelling campaigns have revolutionized the fan experience. Fans can now use their mobile devices to access more than just team box scores and player updates. Instead, they can enjoy an enhanced fan experience like never before. The integration of stories into mobile apps has significantly increased engagement for teams, as well as their partnered promotions and contests. The Rover Platform has played a crucial role in enabling teams to create personalized content without disrupting the fan experience. This success story certainly has a happy ending.