Activations for Sports and Events: How Billboards Can Create Interactive Experiences at Sporting Events
While sports are currently becoming the next big thing in streaming as streaming giants fight for what used to be the stronghold of traditional cable companies, there’s also been a huge renaissance in the live events themselves. Worldwide, sports fans spent $27 billion in 2022 on live, in-stadium matches, and that figure is expected to increase by 6% to $29 billion in 2023.
The appetite for live sports is growing around the world, but nowhere more so than in North America. The United States and Canada are two of the world’s five largest live sports markets.
With audiences expanding, stadiums selling out more regularly, and ticket prices increasing, live sports are the perfect opportunity for activations. Sponsors have an opportunity to become part of the excitement alongside tens of thousands of fans looking to make the most of game day.
Why Sports Events Are a Great Opportunity for Brand Activations
Live sports attract thousands of fans into stadiums, arenas, tailgate parties, live viewing parties, and all kinds of events that can capitalize on the collective joy, excitement, and thrill of the game. Plus, sponsorship is already a key component of sports revenue, making sponsorship activations an integral part of live sports events.
Sports fans are looking for entertainment, and that can extend way beyond what happens during the game. Creating an interactive experience that will engage directly with fans can help make your brand part of the great memories they form on game day. With the right activation strategy, brands of all sizes can make an outsized impression on sports fans.
How Can You Integrate Digital Billboards into Your Activation?
BIG Digital is your partner in marketing activations. We provide portable and interactive digital billboards to rent or buy that you can deploy anywhere, at any time. An outdoor digital billboard can help you create a digital interactive experience, boost attention toward your activation, or provide a number of opportunities to promote or sell directly to sports fans.
Using your own digital billboards mean that the equipment is 100% dedicated to your content needs and messaging – no sharing space and media time with other sponsors. Our digital billboards can be cord-free and don’t require any construction to set up. They can be moved and relocated in minutes, wherever you need. Plus, they’re weather-rated, so you don’t have to worry about inclement weather at outdoor events.
Check out some of the specific use cases for portable digital billboards at sports events.
Gamification & Contests
Sports fans have that competitive spirit in spades, and there’s no better way to activate that drive than with contests and gamification. Contests are a great way to elevate giveaways with higher-value prizes. Whether they’re based on chance or skill, they help marketers stick to a budget while offering higher-value products.
Gamification is another great way to get engagement from kids, adults, and fans of all ages. BIG Digital allows you to select from a library of interactive games that work with motion, gesture, or touch control, as well as the ability to drive engagement with QR code triggers. Incorporate leaderboards, mobile integration, and competition to get participants even more engaged. We can also help you design custom games to meet the specific needs of your activation.
Gamification is an easy win when you’re planning an experiential marketing campaign. Talk to us about the specifications you need to create the perfect gamification experience.
Video & Animated Content
Dynamic video content gets more attention than print signs and traditional billboards. Now that digital billboards can reach anywhere that you need them to, there’s no reason to rely on older methods of delivering your messaging.
Not only is video superior at getting audiences’ attention, but it’s also dynamic and flexible in a way that static billboards never could be. You can include geo-targeted messaging and promotions that adapt to your location. Major brands that sponsor multiple events or entire leagues can easily adjust their messaging and promotions to local markets.
Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality with mobile integration can transform your capabilities. AR mirror technology is a popular feature of our portable digital billboards. With AR mirror technology, users capture a photo or video of themselves with their phones, and our billboard turns into a mirror, with their likeness superimposed on other assets.
It’s the perfect technology for creating virtual change rooms. It’s a great tool for fashion and beauty activations and pop-ups, not to mention it opens up tons of possibilities for merch stores looking to sell more jerseys and team gear by getting out into the crowd. In addition to giving customers a chance to virtually try on merchandise, virtual fitting rooms can also collect data and increase customer engagement through promotional engagement or prizes.
Social Media Visualization
Social media is an integral part of our lives, even at live events. Social media visualization is a fun way to get fans more engaged at live events. Brands can run contest promotions through social media by getting fans to include a hashtag to enter and display social media posts on portable digital billboards to get more people at a live event involved.
Pop-Up Commerce
Brands, teams, and stadium operators alike can also put portable digital billboards to good use in pop-up commerce. Digital signage boosts average purchases by 29.5%, boosting ticket upgrades, merch sales, food and beverage, and more.
Portable digital billboards create instant commerce capabilities by using QR code triggers. They drive users directly to purchase or send them to your website to start funnelling them toward a sale.
Pop-commerce at live sports events can be an event in its own right. Limited edition merch and gear available one night only or exclusively at games can generate a lot of buzz and turn your activation into something bigger.
Donation Kiosks
Major league sports franchises often partner with community groups, non-profits, and charities to promote worthwhile causes and raise money. Turn portable digital billboards into donation kiosks on game days. Digital billboards quickly become integrated terminal solutions that you can program to have pre-set donation amounts.
Rent a digital billboard for your next live sports activation. With BIG Digital’s help, you can create innovative, attention-grabbing interactive experiences that will connect with sports fans and make a splash on game day.