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How BWS appears in the AFL app.<\/p>\nBrands have been urged to think beyond traditional media channels when trying to cut through the noise with sports sponsorships.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the MIK Made Show Notes track at SXSW Sydney, BWS\u2019 Kate Patterson described how it had sought to add extra firepower to its AFL partnership following some tepid initial results.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe signed on as an AFL partner three years ago, and our media to complement that strategy was very much focused on in-game. And at the end of that season, our partnership awareness was actually quite low, so it was a bit shocking. After all this investment, why does no one know we are an AFL partner?\u201d said Patterson, BWS\u2019 senior integrated media manager.<\/p>\n
BWS has been the AFL\u2019s official liquor retail partner since 2023, with the BWS app offering footy fans app-exclusive offers, and a 30-minute pick-up for all orders placed through the BWS app. Within the AFL app, BWS also sponsors the stats section. However, the alcohol retailer chose not to sit on its hands with the partnership and tweaked its media strategy to address shifting audience behaviour\u2014a move Patterson explained has paid dividends.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got our in-game strategy, which is your more traditional broadcast spots and dots in-stadium. But what\u2019s new for us is surrounding the game. That\u2019s how we position more creator-led podcasting, and it brings BWS into the conversation with fans through the week, and ultimately, we want them to buy beers from us on game day. The fact that we can talk to you in the lead up to that is really valuable,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
While its work within the AFL app is important, Patterson said using podcasts allowed the brand to make its sponsorship \u201ca bit more playful\u201d.<\/p>\n
How BWS appears in the AFL app.<\/p>\n
That led BWS to join ex-AFL player turned podcaster Dylan Buckley (as well as fellow panelist) and his Footy & Friends\u00a0podcast.<\/p>\n
Every week the podcast features a BWS sponsored segment bringing to light quirky AFL stats, that wouldn\u2019t necessarily be allowed on BWS AFL stats page. Stats included in the segment? Which team has the most mullets and which team has the tallest coach.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were the type of stats we wanted, which you can\u2019t really promote via the AFL, because that\u2019s not right for their context. So I think bringing it into a podcast, it\u2019s much more flexible. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s hard to get nine stats a week that are like that. You obviously go into goals and margins and all that more boring stuff, but ultimately, [there\u2019s] a lot more possible in [Buckley\u2019s] world ,\u201d commented Patterson.<\/p>\n
@footyandfriends<\/a> Who kicked all the goals for Collingwood back in 97?? Footy & Friends brought to you by\u00a0BWS\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Get Game Ready with BWS Stats. Find the stats to back your banter with mates on the AFL app.\u00a018+ Drink Responsibly #afl<\/a> #Collingwood<\/a> \u266c original sound \u2013 Footy & Friends<\/a><\/p>\n Also on the panel was WPP Media\u2019s head of sport and entertainment partnerships, Myles Taylor. He also identified that the of fragmenting sporting media channels can reduce the efficacy of sponsorships.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re continually saying to [brands], look broader than your traditional media channels,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd it\u2019s definitely not saying that traditional media channels aren\u2019t still extremely important. They are, and we believe that, but it\u2019s about how you complement those strategies, how you complement those channels and platforms to have more of a well rounded, kind of authentic partnership.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe open truth is [non-traditional channels are] probably more cost effective. Podcasting channels or creators can be very cost effective and deliver some really important results for brands. I think that\u2019s probably where those opportunities exist in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMore than half the time spent consuming sports content comes from outside of the live game itself. Maybe 20 years ago, if you said that you\u2019d capture more eyeballs in the social post than watching the actual footy, people would have thought you were nuts,\u201d added Patterson\u2014though B&T notes that Facebook had just turned one 20 years ago.<\/p>\n Patterson said this shift reflects how deeply sport is woven into people\u2019s everyday lives, not just what happens on the field.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you want to win in sport, you need to keep playing even after the siren goes,\u201d emphasised Patterson.<\/p>\n Patterson\u2019s point was further backed up by a stat put forward by Taylor.<\/p>\n \u201cThrough a heap of research that we\u2019ve done at WPP, we\u2019ve found that 60 to 70 per cent of engagement with sports specifically happens outside of the live game itself.\u201d<\/p>\n If you are a brand looking to get involved with content creators, Patterson said you should be looking for the ones who you can imagine yourself to have a beer with.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I bring it back to why BWS plays in sport at all, and that it\u2019s a big drinking occasion, so we want people to buy their game day beers from us. So when you think about talent. You want people that you want to have a beer with,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n B&T has contacted the AFL for comment.<\/p>\n Join more than 30,000 advertising industry experts<\/p>\n Get all the latest advertising and media news direct to your inbox from B&T.<\/p>\n \t\tSubscribe\n\t <\/p>\n