• Loading stock data...
Friday, March 29, 2024
2024 Best Venues nominations are open now through April 8! Submit Now

Georgetown Athletics: Making Marketing Great Again

With a full-time staff of one person, Georgetown is using creative methods to engage fans and promote their department

From unique bobbleheads to exciting fan cams, Georgetown's marketing team has been crushing it. Image via Georgetown Athletics

From unique bobbleheads to exciting fan cams, Georgetown’s marketing team has been crushing it. Image via Georgetown Athletics

In an era where fans are on their phones as soon as the action in a game stops, finding creative ways to attract their attention and get them to engage with something outside of a text, Tweet or Facebook post has become increasingly difficult.

While the space between whistles has become cluttered by noise, one program in particular is finding a creative way to cut through it with the help of one of their partners.

Led by Chris Grosse, Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing, Georgetown Athletics has used their partnership with Xerox to create a fan cam that has all but set the bar for branded activations.

“Last year we had Xerox come on as a partner and they needed a feature at the basketball games and one of my interns came up with the idea of, ‘Copy that Dance’ and I thought that was really creative and Xerox really liked it,” said Grosse. “We played a bunch of music videos and asked the fans to copy the dance. Fans really enjoyed it, but this year we wanted to take it to another level by doing something truly unique.”

Instead of using the atypical dance or kiss cam, Grosse and his staff built off of what they had learned last year, retooled, and released the “Copy that Scene” cam at all Hoya men’s basketball games this year.

“We told our sponsorship people about the idea of changing it to copy that scene and they were onboard with the concept. From there, we ran with it and have seen it take off,” added Grosse. “It started with the Titanic scene and expanded from there. Since other teams have created Lion King cams, I drew inspiration from that idea and decided to look at other iconic movies, TV and situational scenes.”

Only five games into the season, all signs point to the cam being a slam-dunk. Even Grosse himself has seen an increased amount of fan engagement both in the venue and on social media, something that he takes pride in.

“For us, it isn’t just about the experience during the game, it is also about creating something that fans will share on social media after the game,” said Grosse. “It has been a lot of fun and the fans have been great and have gotten into it with their improvisation which has been awesome to see.”

Not only has the cam been a hit, it has also been one of the easiest parts of the game mix to execute for Grosse and his staff of assistants and volunteers. As the only full-time marketing employee, activations like this have proved extremely valuable for a man with hardly enough time to catch his breath during a game.

“I am the only full-time marketing person here so I am pulled every which way when games are underway. From handling social media, to monitoring the headset to make sure the game producers are executing correctly, my time and attention is spread out across multiple areas. The ‘Copy that Scene’ aspect of the game is great for me because it is simple to execute and creates a ton of fan interaction,” explained Grosse. “All I have to do is come up with a scene, find a clip, and then I have a marketing assistant who creates the frame. After that, we send it over to the people at the Verizon Center and they implement it.”

While the “Copy the Scene” cam might be what most people see, Grosse and his team are known for creating crisp and relevant content to promote their department in a fun and engaging way. With a “uniform reveal” and their creation of marketing specific shoes, they take time out of their day to add some fun to the grind that is working in sports.

From the Titanic to Peanuts, to a cam that pays homage to the crazy uncle we all encounter at Thanksgiving, Grosse and his staff have overcome the restrictions of a small budget to create something that has added value to a partnership, given fans a lasting memory and, at least for the moment, a good reason to look up from their phone.

https://upscri.be/a20611

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

A view of Netflix camera crews filming a golfer for its series "Full Swing."

Netflix Charging $2M To Advertise With Live Sports Event

It will cover ads on the course for the commercial-free event.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce talks with CBS announcer Jim Nantz after winning the AFC Championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

CBS Already ‘Virtually Sold Out’ Super Bowl Ad Inventory

CBS is reportedly selling Super Bowl ads for up to $7 million.
A former NBA employee posted to the league's Facebook account to voice labor discontent.

Former NBA Employee Calls Out League for Poor Pay, Benefits

The NBA’s Facebook page had a deleted post about labor issues.
ESPN Bet

ESPN Will Still Be Able To Accept Ads From Other Sportsbooks

PENN’s ‘ESPN Bet’ deal with ESPN is non-exclusive from ad standpoint.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

Why the Timberwolves Sale was Called Off

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

March 22, 2024, Brooklyn, NY, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Brooks Barnhizer (13) and Northwestern Wildcats guard Boo Buie (0) react in overtime against the Florida Atlantic Owls in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at the Barclays Center.
March 27, 2024

‘An Expensive Game’: March Madness and NIL Collectives Are Intertwined

At schools nationwide, collectives are fueling NCAA tournament runs and vice versa.
Iowa’s Caitlin Clark (22) waits to be announced in the starting lineup against West Virginia in a NCAA Tournament round of 32 game Monday, March 25, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.
March 26, 2024

The Women’s Trading Card Market Is Overlooked. Can Caitlin Clark Change That?

Traditionally, women’s sports cards have been a marginal part of collectibles.
The Sports Illustrated cover signed by Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, February 27, 2019, at Don & Charlie's, 7501 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale. Don Charlie S
March 24, 2024

Everything You Need to Know About the Ongoing ‘Sports Illustrated’ Saga

Understanding the strange state of affairs for the nearly 70-year-old publication.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
Live Nation
Multiple - USA Careers
Adidas
Multiple - USA Careers
Spotify
Multiple - USA Careers

WWE Borrows From UFC, Puts On-Mat Advertising in the Ring

The wrestling outfit is learning from its MMA counterpart’s playbook under the TKO Group.
September 16, 2022

NBA Legend Scottie Pippen Latest Celebrity To Endorse LIV Golf

The former Chicago Bull is part of LIV’s celebrity marketing campaign.
Drew Brees smiling while wearing hat
December 2, 2022

Drew Brees, PointsBet Pull Off Elaborate Lightning Publicity Stunt

The video racked up over 2 million views in about 12 hours.
Sponsored

How Daily Fantasy Sports Solved NBA Fantasy

The remarkable growth of the #1 Discord sports server in the world.
al michaels and kirk hergstreit
September 15, 2022

Amazon’s Advertising Blitz Ahead Of First ‘Thursday Night Football’

‘Thursday Night Football’ has launched massive marketing takeover ahead of Chiefs-Chargers.
June 21, 2022

NBA Finals Broke Records on Social Media

The NBA closed out the season with a bang on social media, eclipsing 2 billion video plays for a 19% increase over last year.
June 21, 2022

Gallo Winery Could Be New Player For Super Bowl Spots

Anheuser-Busch is giving up Super Bowl alcohol exclusivity for first in decades. NFL sponsor E. & J. Gallo Winery might step up with own commercials in the Big Game.
June 13, 2022

NBA’s Latest Floating Court Hits London’s River Thames

Hennessy continued their global initiative with the NBA by creating a floating court in the River Thames.