It was perhaps no surprise to see the Super Bowl 2024 logging the biggest US TV broadcast viewership since the 1969 Apollo landing – with 123.4 million people tuning in, alongside a global record of 62.5 million – after the relationship between Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs\u2019 tight end Travis Kelce unfolded during the NFL season\u2019s crucial period.<\/p>\n \u201cWe typically deliver to our fanbase, and we\u2019re not the biggest market, but Taylor sent us to the moon,\u201d underlined Rob Alberino, Vice President of Content and Production at Kansas City Chiefs, this year\u2019s Super Bowl winners.<\/span><\/p>\n Swift and Kelce\u2019s relationship hit the international spotlight during the second half of 2023, and remained all the way through the NFL playoffs to the Super Bowl, resulting in a huge spike in popularity for Kansas Chiefs and the NFL.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople often asked \u2018what are you doing to explode the brand\u2019,\u201d said Alberino. \u201cNot much – because the world is doing a lot of it for us!\u201d<\/p>\n Managing something so huge <\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>\u201cThis was seismic – you can\u2019t plan for it,\u201d explained Alberino. \u201cWe sat back with the team – understanding how fast that river was flowing.\u201d<\/p>\n Brett Gosper, Head of Europe & Asia-Pacific for NFL, highlighted: \u201cTaylor specifically spiked us in the young female group. We had record fan acquisition across all our markets. She has also inherited a large number of our fans, particularly in the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n Alberino shed light on how to manage existing and surges of brand new fans while staying focused: \u201cYou have to think how to carry it on respectfully – we planted little \u2018Easter eggs\u2019 of her within our features, writing, imagery. People who don\u2019t know the sport – but who love Taylor – also want to be a part of this sport. We\u2019re now trying to serve them all.<\/p>\n \u201cWe also have our own strategy. Just happens now we have this subset that\u2019s happening, allowing us to put more into the younger generation, maybe more of a musical genre.\u201d<\/p>\n Authenticity is key <\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Spotlighting the need to stay real, Scott Kegley – Vice President of Digital Strategy of AMB Sports + Entertainment (AMBSE), which owns Atlanta Falcons – explained: \u201cWe didn\u2019t have Taylor, but we do have Usher and Ludicrous. Each team has something that is culturally relevant, own-able – like everyone in this room.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Marc Ciampa, Vice President of New Jersey Devils, explained the value of finding the right communications tone. He recounted a nine-month period for the ice hockey team with no games due to the pandemic and then failing to make the playoffs: \u201cThis gave us an opportunity to find our voice on social media, experiment a little.\u201d<\/p>\n The Sopranos judgement call<\/strong><\/p>\n New Jersey state is synonymous with The Sopranos – the iconic, multi-Emmy winning HBO American crime drama series. It was always a plan for the New Jersey Devils to capitalise on this culturally.<\/p>\n \u201cWe used a lot of Sopranos imagery – by the next season starting, we hit the ground running. The team still didn\u2019t do very well that season, but the fans were on board at that point.\u201d<\/p>\n Ciampa\u2019s \u2018Writing Room\u2019 – a Committee using instant messaging – was vital in making the right judgement calls for social media posting.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019d ask ourselves – \u2018how close to the line is this? Is this even funny?\u2019 If we felt this could be too close to the line, we\u2019d escalate to the VP of Communications and our CMO.\u201d<\/p>\n Staying on brand, no matter what <\/strong><\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons – after going through a tone of voice exercise – decided on \u2018Southern swagger\u2019. \u201cThat Southern hospitality, a little in your face,\u201d explained Kegley. \u201cIt\u2019s not forced. We\u2019re not trying to be something we\u2019re not.\u201d<\/p>\n Being aligned across all channels – \u201cyour video producer, social producer, editorial team, digital team\u201d – as Kegley explained – is vital because \u201cthere is more than one way that people consume content.\u201d<\/p>\n Always be storytelling <\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Reassuringly, the entire panel agreed on one key thing – being at the top of the league, or in the Final, should not dictate whether communications campaigns are successful.<\/p>\n \u201cYour team is not always going to be good. I\u2019ve been with some unwatchable teams!\u201d said Alberino. \u201cAnd it\u2019s OK if you have angry fans. You cannot have apathetic fans – apathy is the death of your business. So if you\u2019re in a league, or a Federation where your team is not doing well, storytelling becomes the most important thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Bad Times are Good Times<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>With so many great pieces of advice from this panel, we\u2019re concluding with this brilliant quote from Alberino:<\/p>\n \u201cFor everyone here [at SportAccord] with clubs or companies having bad times – it\u2019s the bad times that actually make the company strong, not the good times.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen people are under pressure, that\u2019s when you find out about your team – that\u2019s where consistency is created. That\u2019s where a true team is created.\u201d<\/p>\n Hit the share button on the SportAccord 2024 <\/strong>\u2018Touchdowns, Home Runs and <\/strong>Slam Dunks\u2019<\/strong> video – this session is highly inspirational and insightful to team members and associates focusing on growing multi-channel awareness!<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.sportaccord.sport\/2024-wsbs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/05\/GettyImages-2008557096-1024x683.jpg\")