Gamifying the Super Bowl

This content originally appeared on February 4, 2021 as part of the Future of Marketing weekly email series. Subscribe here.

Welcome to Future of Marketing.

Each week, we send you the most relevant trends, resources, and strategies in social and user-generated content (UGC) from leading marketers and brands around the globe.

Today we're discussing…

• Big responsibilities, little time
• What's with advertisers and the Super Bowl?
• A love letter to Jeni's Ice Cream

#MarketingProblems

Content creation, distribution, community management, and engagement require time, strategy, and a team. But the problem is these responsibilities usually fall on one marketer or a small team – which makes it challenging to focus on metrics that move the needle.

But if 72.2% of marketers have more responsibilities because of the pandemic... then, how are marketers effectively prioritizing engagement? 

Here's one answer: they balance branded content with user-generated content (UGC) across channels. 

We published a short video on LinkedIn sharing examples of how brands are approaching UGC to increase engagement, conversions, and build trust at scale. Go check it out. 

HINT: The video is technically employee-generated content (EGC)... but we'll discuss that next week. 🤭

Social gamification

Several longtime advertisers are sitting out from this year's Super Bowl – including Budweiser, Hyundai, and Little Caesars – to reallocate ad spend and tread carefully in this environment, which makes sense BUT they're missing a big opportunity to connect during a time when fans will be watching their screens. 

Other brands are joining for the first time – such as Fiverr, Vroom, Doordash, and even Robinhood… gutsy considering the recent Gamestop scandal. 

“Since there will likely be fewer Super Bowl viewing parties across the country as a pandemic precaution, more viewers watching from their homes could [boost] ratings.”

Digiday

Instead of “going dark,” brands should be taking advantage of this opportunity to connect. You might not have this captive of an audience going through the same shared experience again – it doesn't happen often...

Popular events like the Super Bowl are opportunities to engage, experiment, and connect with your audience across multiple channels (from social media to television).

As remote content production and virtual events rise, UGC can save traditionally huge production budgets by highlighting fans in their homes with brand products – or even soliciting content from fans enjoying the big game. 

Here's another idea: experiment with gamification. 

It can be as simple as sharing a poll on social media to hosting a giveaway or social media contest (like this hashtag battle Tag-O-War).

What we're learning

• Instagram moved to stop people from sharing feed posts in stories... and users weren't happy about it [Social Media Today]
• The Social Marketers Guide to Clubhouse [TrueLoyal]
• TikTok competitor, Shorts, has 3.5 billion “daily views” in India [CNBC]
• Creating content sustainably across multiple channels [FOM]

POLL:

Should we start a Clubhouse Room?
Take the survey and submit questions here.

#BrandCrush: Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams 💘

Dear Jeni's Ice Cream,

We heard you've been killing it on social media... 

From getting rising marketing leaders to mention your ice cream on #MarketingTwitter to re-sharing content by your fans (UGC) to facilitate content production, highlight testimonials, and build trust. 

We see you.

We also love the tone of your voice, your light humor, your authenticity, and how you place community first... We even noticed that Chrissy Teigen mentioned you. 🤯

Our Events Marketing Manager, S. David Ramirez, spent hours locating Jeni's Ice Cream and snapped his own #TrueLoyallove photo before he devoured your Everything Bagel flavor. 

It's that good.

Love, TrueLoyal

Office hours ⏰

Every once in a while, we gather our team of experts to answer your burning marketing questions about UGC. Interested in joining? Share your questions.