DISH Media Uses Rich Data to Connect Brands to Would-Be Sports Viewers

DISH is also packaging all the sportsrelated content it can find Without any live sports fans are ravenous for content So D39Antoni says he expects the upcoming NFL Draft and ESPN39s documentary series The Last Dance to garner big ratings amp8212 so much so that DISH is offering an ad package surrounding that contentWithout any live televised sports on the horizon MediaVillage spoke with D39Antoni to discuss DISH Media39s new solutions how it has embraced programmatic sports buying and why he thinks brands should keep advertisingAlli Romano Without live sports how are you connecting brands with wouldbe sports viewersJim D39Antoni We39re getting asked a lot how to reach fans like NBA or NCAA fans when there39s no programming out there Right now we39re in this Sahara Desert of live sports but through our firstparty data we can track past viewing habits We know everyone within our footprint who watched NBA playoffs or the NCAA tournament or Monday Night Football last year We can slice and dice that data a number of ways and we can retarget those households whether they are heavy sports viewers across the board or those who watched individual sports If someone says quotI want to reach NBA fans who use my brand heavily we can do that That39s our calling card in the marketplace right nowquotRomano Can you give us an example of how you39ve used this solution with a clientD39Antoni There was an insurance company that was looking to reach NBAspecific viewers We modeled the homes that had watched the NBA regular season this year and the playoffs last year and created a media plan only targeting those households Ultimately we know those homes are predisposed through their NBA viewing habits This is meaningful to marketers who know NBA fans buy their productsRomano How have you used your past experiences to create this new initiativeD39Antoni We39ve been modeling audiences for years with firstparty data Since then we have built a strategy that specifically seeks out and targets those same sports fans You can say quotThese 25 million households have watched 25 or more live sporting events in the last six monthsquot or quotThese 44 million homes have watched the NBA playoffs last yearquot It depends on what the buyer is looking for and we can track by individual sport or more broadlyRomano Is there still engaging sportsrelated programming you can sell to clientsD39Antoni Sports fans are ravenous to stay connected Live sports have gone away but the fans39 passion has not As of now the NFL Draft is going to go on as scheduled and it will all be remote with cameras for each team and all the top players It may not be quite as engaging but it will create dramatic moments the same as every draft does Given the pentup demand for sports content that will draw a huge numberAlso on April 19 ESPN is going to debut the Michael Jordan documentary The Last Dance They were going to premiere it in May but they moved it up It is a 10part series and we39re out in the marketplace packaging it with the NFL Draft and live studio shows on ESPN and the NFL Network that will break down the draft and discuss the documentary series In my opinion this unique new programming will bring sizable numbers When you combine the best in class documentary work that ESPN is known for with an iconic figure like Michael Jordan you are going to generate an audience who is starved for compelling sports content The Last Dance schedule change is a good example of the marketplace trying to pivot to provide the most relevant programming possible for viewersRomano What are SLING TV39s programmatic offerings for sports programming and is that continuingD39Antoni SLING TV has been providing sportsoriented solutions to advertisers for a number of years In 2017 SLING TV was the first in the marketplace to offer a live programmatic auction for the NCAA tournament SLING TV has regularly offered programmatic options numerous times since then with Monday Night Football the Olympics PGA Golf Majors the NCAA tournament and the NBA among others Now we have an NFL Draft marketplace and one for the Michael Jordan series In addition we are still offering turnkey programmatic access to all of our premium sports networks With programmatic being a 11 environment we know that there are still users consuming that content every day despite major events on holdRomano Some advertisers are thinking of pulling back because of their own financial problems or concerns about appropriateness What do you say to thatD39Antoni There are numerous examples from the last recession in 2008 where certain brands went dark with their ads but then in 2009 when they started to advertise again their brands were playing catch up because there was a gap in their messaging Of course it depends on the individual category and brand but I think marketers should stay connected with their consumers with their messaging Recently a lot of advertisers have pivoted with new creative that is feelgood the messaging has to be appropriately crafted But to just go dark I don39t think that is going to help your brand in the long run That said if you don39t change your message and have a message unaligned with the times that will alienate viewers Just last week I was talking to a beverage marketer who has traditionally connected with their customer base with an upbeat happy tone They are considering changing their message but want to make sure it39s done correctly Financial marketers face a different challenge where they need to offer reassurance and solutionoriented messaging These are the kinds of conversations we39re having in the marketplace where we look to be consultative and provide the best solution for each advertiserClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNetIf you no longer wish to receive updates from DISH please click here

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DISH Media Uses Rich Data to Connect Brands to Would-Be Sports Viewers

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Alli Romano

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DISH Media Uses Rich Data to Connect Brands to Would-Be Sports Viewers

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Alli Romano

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

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