March Madness A “Go Big or Go Home” Approach to Branding
March Madness not only showcases the best in college basketball, the tournament itself is a huge opportunity for branding and advertising. In fact, it is one of the most valuable TV sports franchises – second only behind the NFL playoffs: The 2016 Men’s tournament saw ad spending reach an astounding $1.24 billion1. For B2C companies, the return is a given.
When it comes to B2B, most marketers understand the value of branding and advertising. Let’s face it, compared to other tactics, it’s just harder to measure the ROI—yet the facts prove otherwise. In today’s hyper-competitive marketplace, branding clearly helps break through the information logjam. It gets your prospects’ attention.
See how branding and advertising can drive B2B purchase consideration just as effectively as B2C companies use it during March Madness.
13x In 2016 , 39% of casual fans were more likely to consider a product if that product was an official sponsor of March Madness, up from 29% in 20152
+91.7%
IT buyers are 13x more likely to buy from companies who have built a strong brand connection3
Branding creates a 91.7% increase in web traffic during March Madness4
77%
77% of B2B marketing leaders say branding is critical to growth5
The NCAA offers March Madness on at least 12 different digital platforms6 and 27% of college basketball fans streamed a game digitally in 20177
It takes an average of 5-7 brand impressions before someone will remember your brand8
Sponsor apparel brands increased web site searches 33% on the first day of the tournament versus the week prior9
Leveraging branding as part of a cross-digital-channel effort increases sales pipeline by more than 2X
With 45% of America watching the tournament7, March Madness has evolved into a powerful advertising platform. And the same can be effective for B2B companies on a smaller, more targeted scale. Targeted digital branding helps break through the noise competing for your customers’ attention. It’s proven to drive consideration and improve conversion rates10.
https://us.kantar.com/business/brands/2017/march-madness-2017-advertising-by-the-numbers/ https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2016/05/02/Research-and-Ratings/NCAA-Sponsor-Loyalty.aspx CEB https://www.stats.com/tag/march-madness-marketing/ https://www.circle-research.com/wp-content/uploads/B2B-Branding-Research.pdf https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-ncaa-showcases-its-marketing-muscles-during-march_us_58b3594de4b0e5fdf619741c https://www.oath.com/insights/eyes-on-men-s-college-basketball-2018/ https://actioncardapp.com/2016/02/11/11-branding-stats-crazier-than-miley/ https://www.retailtouchpoints.com/topics/omnichannel-cross-channel-strategies/how-retailers-can-transformmarch-madness-into-marketing-magic 10 How Digital Branding Drives Demand, TechTarget & Just Media, Inc. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
