To some, TikTok’s partnership with the UEFA might appear like a rogue move, until you remember that sporting events are becoming much more than just plays and goals. The events are now going beyond the sport itself – it’s about entertainment and re-creating experiences behind closed doors, with the likes of TikTok taking centre stage by enabling everyone to express their reaction to ads, songs, fouls and goals.
Success relies on brands nailing TikTok’s format and the online experience…so what does TikTok bring to live sports?
Why TikTok?
TikTok is not a companion app like Twitter – it is a separate screen with the ability to maximise fan engagement and extent the experience of the Euros beyond the matches for the next generation of sport fans. As teams seek brand status, partnerships with the likes of TikTok drive engagement with new sports audiences.
Undeniably, TikTok has become a key platform. It offers compelling opportunities because of its mass approach to content making it closer to TV than any other social platform.
How do you format the content?
Unlike YouTube and Facebook, TikTok content only lasts up to 60 seconds, crushing the ad opportunity before and after content. Brands must create native TikTok ads that match user content and tee-up challenges.
Brands looking to capitalise the platform will need to combine their TV and social media strategies.
With TikTok paving a new path, brands looking to succeed need to show they truly understand consumer needs, and take an integrated approach to advertising, unifying each step of the process for a seamless and omnichannel experience.
Who is the audience?Due to the age of its young user base, TikTok content is created and shared with parents, placing huge responsibility on brands to ensure ads are authentic and safe for consumption.
The Euros will be held in multiple cities around the world for the first time, and fans are unlikely to be able to travel. Platforms like TikTok help create virtual momentum and drive fan engagement as we enter the first major hybrid sports event.
What should be the strategy?
Taking stock and revising strategies is essential, brands need to be agile, to capitalise on second screen behaviours like never before, for enhanced fan experiences and win the fight for eyeballs, amongst the captive audience in the closed ecosystems.
Other official sponsors should also take this opportunity to join TikTok if absent (see Heineken and Takeaway.com) and be more active (see Coca-Cola) to maximise audience reach and engagement during the tournament
Insights are essential for creative and social strategies to reach target demographics. This is now more pertinent than ever, as brands are looking to engage with audiences in unusual settings – no pubs, no stadiums, just fans at home.
