In the buildup to Front Office Sports’ Digital Media Huddle presented by opendorse on February 22, we’re introducing you to the huddle leaders who will be lending their expertise to the conversation.
Today, meet Amie Kiehn, social media manager for the Carolina Panthers. She will be one of the leaders of the huddle, “It’s All in the Packaging: Why Verticalized Content Is Working.”
A University of Iowa graduate, Kiehn came to the Panthers in 2016 and was promoted to the social media manager position one year later. In that time, the Panthers have been recognized by several national media outlets for their creative approach to digital content and entertaining social voice.
“It has been a team effort,” Kiehn states. “We have really good leadership at the top that lets us take some risks with content, and ultimately that’s why I think some of these big hits have happened. We’ve got to stand out in terms of our voice because now it’s kind of a norm as evidenced by the rise of brands like Wendy’s and Moon Pie on social.”
Kiehn further elaborated on how she and her team developed the team’s voice on social media.
“We try to make sure that our social sounds like the cool kid in school that’s still pretty nice to everyone around school. We can do all the fun stuff, highlighting Cam Newton and the other personalities on our team, while also incorporating popular culture for content. Then on the other side, we try to handle losses and other tough situations with as much grace as possible.”
One of Kiehn’s personal favorite examples of her team’s creativity and talent can be found in the Panthers’ 2018 playoff trailer, narrated by future Hall of Famer Julius Peppers.
In 2018, the Panthers were purchased by David Tepper. Kiehn and her team received further validation of the value their efforts bring to the organization when the team’s large social media audience was an important factor considered in determining the organization’s purchase price.
“To hear that our team is worth exponentially more because of all the work that we have poured into developing the social presence, I think that was pretty cool.”
Over the course of her career, Kiehn believes that the biggest lesson in social media she has learned is to give each platform and/or content distribution method its own attention.
“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Don’t go all in on Twitter or all in on Instagram or all in on Facebook. You have to have a stake in and a meaningful presence on each platform. Share the wealth amongst your distribution methods.”
Julius Peppers has something to say… pic.twitter.com/VKGjFmlWum
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) February 1, 2019
Dedication is a quality that you will find amongst many digital media professionals. You may not find a better example of this quality in the space than Kiehn, who perfectly balanced leading the Panther’s digital team this past season while also tending to her newborn son. Because of this, Kiehn remains thankful that the Panthers’ continued success in the digital space is, as she puts it, “a team effort.”
“You really understand the conflict that a lot of people who have small children go through when they work in this business because it never really stops,” Kiehn states. “So, trying to find that balance is difficult. I didn’t want people to think that our social suffered in any way because of my personal situation, which I think it really hasn’t. I could not do what I’m doing now if it wasn’t for the team that we have in place already.”
Meet Amie and hear more of her thoughts on the current digital landscape at the Front Office Sports Digital Media Huddle presented by opendorse in New York on February 22. For tickets and additional info, click here.
