The 2024 SBJ Brand & Innovation Summit in Chicago did not disappoint; it was full of great informational sessions featuring numerous fantastic panelists. Several key topics were discussed, such as the growth of women's sports, authenticity at all levels of an organization, and a positive outlook compared to this time last year.
Women's sports was the most predominant subject of the whole conference, with brands and agencies looking to get involved and properties capitalizing on the current momentum. It was often discussed that we are in a market and world that is increasingly integrating women into the broader sports narrative rather than segregating them into a separate category of women's sports. #supportwomenssports
A significant reason for the positive outlook is the rise in viewership, driven by companies improving their understanding of how to connect with and authentically engage a younger audience. Jack Jenkins from Overtime talked about their success over the past seven years as a digital company from day one. They have created and found platforms where young audiences spend their time, allowing them to consume sports content in new ways. Overtime has grown by responding to audience signals, leading to the launch of Overtime Elite and four leagues. They have maintained their identity by continuing to perform daily tasks algorithmically.
Similarly, Mark French brought these themes together as he announced Don’t Quit partnership with iHeartRadio across the country. He emphasized the importance of creating products that meet consumer needs, from professional teams like the Knicks and the Rangers to their partnership with MLB to provide players with a nutritious drink that meets all health standards. Despite having an atypical target demographic, they know exactly who they are for and what they represent, particularly as they look into the future with profiles of perseverance such as current athletes Damar Hamlin and Kendall Toole and the inspirational message that accompanies them.
Every speaker at the conference mentioned authenticity and its importance at every organizational layer. Rich Luker illustrated this with the example of a St. Louis Cardinals fan getting a tattoo, symbolizing the importance of relationships in sports and that they don’t do this with Colgate. He explained that while transactions are necessary to keep the lights on, there is no substitute for relationships and what organizations do for their fans. He posed the critical question, “How are you saying ‘I do’ back to the fan?” Andrea Hopelain from EA Sports expanded on this idea with the upcoming NCAA football video game, set to release in July. The game is described as a love letter to college football fans, from athletes to university students and alumni. She mentioned Christian McCaffrey, the Madden 25 cover athlete this year, and the honor it was for him to achieve his childhood dream of being on the cover.
Overall, the conference featured so many great speakers and sessions that it’s impossible to mention them all. The event highlighted the significant strides being made in sports branding, with a strong focus on authenticity and connection. There was a push from the agency panel for continuously more sophistication coming from the property side on its data reporting approach although all agree that there is no magic bullet. The positive outlook and growing enthusiasm for women's sports signal a bright future for the industry, driven by innovative strategies and genuine engagement with fans.
Lasting legacy creation is part of the greater-reaching opportunity that sponsorship can foster, be it the Don’t Quit campaign, tattoo reference, Olympics and Special Olympics platforms from Coca-Cola and Toyota and others. Casey Hurbis, Rocket Mortgage CMO, recapped Dan Gilbert’s push to be the first to digital operationally in mortgages and breakthrough NFL Draft in Detroit success with a company mantra of “First. Last. Only.” This mantra resonates well with the Trak team as it relates to our sponsorship asset management category.
**The Trak team would like to recognize Brand Innovation Summit attendee Joe Fontanella of the Nascar Hall of Fame of the “Trak Time Savings Giveaway” Grand Prize Winner.
Joe takes home an Apple Watch for his efforts in checking out the latest with Trak via demonstration and supporting Trak’s efforts to make digital transformation easy across the sponsorship space through following us (@TrakSoftware) and providing referrals.(more on Trak’s Kickoff To Summer Ambassador promotion).**
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