YouTube making NFL marketing push to complement new streaming deal

With the regular season beginning next week, NFL corporate sponsors are readying activation supporting their pricey IP. David Cohen, the league’s senior director of sponsorship and partnership management, said 46 league sponsors and large licensees are activating with a combination of TV, digital, packaging, social other media.

At least for this season, the NFL Kickoff game seems more of a local affair than league asset when the Lions play the Super Bowl-champion Chiefs at Arrowhead next Thursday. YouTube TV is pushing its new NFL Sunday Ticket programming with a national presenting sponsorship of Kickoff Weekend and will have multiple ads, along with in-game enhancements. Oher Kickoff Weekend sponsors: Bud Light, FanDuel, Microsoft Surface, Pepsi Zero Sugar, Diageo’s Smirnoff, Snickers, TCL, Uber Eats and Verizon. In Kansas City, the Ford Tailgate District will include a Bud Light-sponsored concert. T-Mobile has its brand on rally towels that are a gate premium.

For the rest of the season, Cohen noted the increased amount of co-promotions between NFL sponsors, which includes collabs between YouTube TV featuring Bud Light, TCL and Verizon. Others pair Smirnoff and FanDuel, as well as Captain Morgan and DraftKings.

Breaking down the brand plays

Chinese TV brand TCL, the only new NFL sponsor (unless one counts YouTube), has a "Game Day Greatness" campaign across TV, social and digital, POS and packaging with NFL endorsers like Justin Herbert, Derwin James and DK Metcalf. Retailer Best Buy gets in the act with NFL branding at more than 1,000 locations. Bud Light continues its “Easy to ..." thematic, with an “Easy to Sunday" campaign showcasing NFL fan devotion.

Also being reprised are NFL team-themed Bud Light cans. The league’s legal sports betting sponsors are supporting heavily: DraftKings' campaign features Amazon NFL analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick and comedian Kevin Hart, while FanDuel returns with Rob Gronkowski. Sleep Number’s new TV creative as the league's official mattress has Vikings WR Justin Jefferson and Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase. Campbell Soup is updating its 26-year-old old “Mama’s Boys” campaign with the Kelce brothers and their mom.

Pepsi is backing its Zero Sugar and Lipton read-to-drink iced tea brands with a sweeps behind players wearing zero jerseys. The brand also will give away tickets so fans can attend their first NFL game, backed by a social campaign and team-themed POS displays. Gatorade’s Fast Twitch energy drink is getting some NFL sideline exposure during Week 1 only via branded towels, along with a social series centering on the upcoming on-field matchup between brothers Stefon Diggs (Bills) and Trevon Diggs (Cowboys). On the salty snack side, Tostitos and Rold Gold brands will feature team marks on bags.

In its third year as a league sponsor, Diageo is activating against its Aviation American Gin, Seagram’s Whiskey, Crown Royal and Ciroc Vodka. Captain Morgan rum continues its NFL Fan of the Year promotion, supported by a TV spot with former wideout Victor Cruz. Little Caesars is supporting its rights with a TV campaign featuring George Kittle, Jefferson, Cam Jordan, Fitzpatrick and others.

Snickers' “Rookie Mistakes” campaign is using ads with Steelers LB TJ Watt and 49ers RB/WR Deebo Samuel, and it will have NFL marks on its flagship product and on ice cream bars. P&G’s Gillette brand is using Jalen Hurts as its new NFL spokesman, while Head & Shoulders is again using Patrick Mahomes and Troy Polamalu. Invisalign now has 350 NFL players using its products and has increased its team deals from eight to 10.

The Kingdom's big push into MMA and PFL and what it means; Lessons learned in Lincoln? And here's to one fun, clever NFL ad we'll see a lot this season.

SBJ I Factor presented by Allied Sports — Michael Goldstein SBJ I Factor presented by Allied Sports features an interview with Michael Goldstein, founder of SES Insights and a member of Sports Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 class of 2019. Goldstein talks with SBJ’s Ross Nethery about how he transitioned from ESPN to Mastercard to now starting up his own marketing and sponsorship company. Goldstein also shares how testing out new waters has benefited him throughout his career and personal life. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards, such as Forty Under 40, Game Changers and others.

Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas on Friday night will play host to the return of SlamBall, and league co-founder Mike Tollin credits an organic groundswell among fans as a key impetus in bringing the sport back to life in the U.S. Tollin, who also serves as Mandalay Sports Media co-chair, spoke with SBJ’s Austin Karp about the relationship with broadcast partner ESPN, how the funding efforts exceeded expectations, as well as the potential roles both sports wagering and social media could play.

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