Ear to the Ground’s Post

As Stephen Spielberg said in the kickoff to the Olympics (at least on US TV): The Olympics are rife with storytelling. There's a hero. There's usually some adversity (my God, Suni Lee! And Simone Biles! And Jordan Chiles! Okay, you can tell what I've been watching the most...) There's a lot of hard work. There's an extreme level of difficulty to succeed. And there's your brand, finally getting that recognition from (insert publication here). *Record Scratch* *Narrator Voice* You didn't expect that, did you? Your brand is the hero. It wasn't easy for you to build your product, or it took a lot of hard work to get your client, or your founder had to overcome a lot to even found a company. You have a lot of competitors. But you've built something special. And people should know that story. There's a lot we can learn from these massive sporting events: - Good Sportsmanship (I cry every time two opponents cheer each other on and hug when they do well). - How to Take Care of Our Bodies - What It Means to Be a Leader - How to Tell Your Brand Story So what have you learned from the Olympics so far?

Red Bull's latest PR stunt made me think of their marketing secret: They don't interrupt what people love. They become what people love. Owning sports assets isn't just sponsorship. It's brand integration at its core. • Red Bull F1 team • Several Red Bull Football clubs • And even a hockey team Result? Authentic connection with their audience. In PR, we often focus on messaging. Red Bull shows us the power of actual action and doing something. They're not talking about extreme sports. They're making extreme sports happen. How can you move beyond words in your sector? I am unsure whether I could pull off a back flip on a bike. 😆 #BrandAction #AuthenticMarketing #PRstunts

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐉𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥: 𝐍𝐢𝐤𝐞'𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐨'𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 In this special Vault Episode of The Transaction Report, we revisit an insightful conversation with legendary sports marketing pioneer Sonny Vaccaro, the Nike's man behind its signing of Michael Jordan. Known for his monumental impact on athlete endorsements and basketball culture, Sonny shares his groundbreaking experiences that shaped the business of sports as we know it today. 🚨 Sonny's vision on how athlete partnerships and sponsorships would evolve still rings true. He highlights the importance of foresight, relationships, and timing in creating lasting value in the world of sports marketing. 🎧 Whether you're involved in brand partnerships, sports business, or simply a fan of sports history, this episode offers timeless insights you won’t want to miss. Tune in now! (https://lnkd.in/ezNUdGnQ) 👥 Tag someone who would appreciate this insider perspective from a sports marketing legend! #SportsPodcast #Brands #Sponsorship #Nike #SportsBiz

Fantastic to spend some time with the wonderful folks at BFBS helping them build out the strategy and creative approach for their new summer sports campaign. Great energy and creativity in the room! Our main takeout, as is so often the case with great brands, was that the solution can be hiding in plain sight, and to never underestimate the power of your core offer. If you are working on something day in day out, there is a tendency to become blind to the true value of your brand / product, sometimes all it takes a bit of outside perspective to re-ignite the senses! If you need help on a similar sticky problem reach out... #Strategy #Creativity #BrandDevelopment #Collaboration #Innovation #workshopfacilitation

"But we said when she was 16, 17, she will be a champion and we'll be ready for that moment". Having 'the idea' can happen in a moment, but executing it perfectly needs craft, perseverance and...patience, things that New Balance are best in class at. "Call me Coco" was one of the all-time great sports marketing campaigns, and "Call me Champ" took it to another level. Evan Zeder tells us all about the relationships, craft & co-authorship that create brilliant athlete storytelling at New Balance. Give it a listen here - https://lnkd.in/eTxGd6nX #athletestorytelling #sportsmarketing #brandmarketing #culturalrelevance

Unlocking Success in Sports Management: My Journey with IMG Join me as I share my experience working with IMG, a leading sports management firm. Discover the keys to building a thriving organization, managing talent, organizing events, and leveraging media. Learn why teamwork and embracing one's limitations are crucial for lasting success. #SportsManagement #IMG #TalentManagement #EventOrganization #MediaCoverage #Teamwork #SuccessTips #SportsIndustry #BusinessGrowth #LeadershipSkills

#KaplanMobray #KeynoteSpeaker #SuperBowl #FanVideos “Brand Transformation” Met this great fan who shared her transformation as an National Football League (NFL) fan! There are times in your life and career when you find that you may need to change your #personalbrand! It’s not always easy especially when you have been doing things the same way and focusing on consistency. But there are benefits when you detect the need to change your brand early if your current brand does not serve you, the winning results you are looking to achieve, and how you want to be perceived by others. If you need to change your brand Break a routine Demonstrate new capability Share Learning This is the natural process of brand transformation. #KaplanMobray #SuperBowlLVIII #FanVideos #Vegas #PersonalBranding #The10KsofPersonalBranding

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐉𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥: 𝐍𝐢𝐤𝐞'𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐨'𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 In this special Vault Episode of The Transaction Report, we revisit an insightful conversation with legendary sports marketing pioneer Sonny Vaccaro, the Nike's man behind its signing of Michael Jordan. Known for his monumental impact on athlete endorsements and basketball culture, Sonny shares his groundbreaking experiences that shaped the business of sports as we know it today. 🚨 Sonny's vision on how athlete partnerships and sponsorships would evolve still rings true. He highlights the importance of foresight, relationships, and timing in creating lasting value in the world of sports marketing. 🎧 Whether you're involved in brand partnerships, sports business, or simply a fan of sports history, this episode offers timeless insights you won’t want to miss. Tune in now! (https://lnkd.in/ezNUdGnQ) 👥 Tag someone who would appreciate this insider perspective from a sports marketing legend! #SportsBiz #Nike #Brands #Partnerships #Podcast

Why have combat sports gained exponential popularity? It might not be what you think. It's the stories that fans follow, and there is something to be said about the drama and narratives that are making it more than just a fight. It's the rivalries, the comebacks, and the personal journeys of underdogs turning champions. It's about athletes overcoming obstacles, both in and out of the octagon, that resonates with the audience on a personal level. The human element of combat sports captures the hearts of fans worldwide. With the rise of digital platforms, access to these stories has been democratized. Fans can follow their favorite fighters on social media, watch behind-the-scenes content, and stream fights from anywhere in the world. This accessibility has broken down the barriers between athletes and fans, creating a more intimate and engaged community. EXAMPLE: I think about a recent storyline from UFC 299 when Dustin Poirier faced off against former French Foreign Legion special operator Benoit Saint-Denis. The French fighter Saint-Denis has come off a string of devasting victories and grizzled veteran Poirier had just come off a devasting knockout loss. Dustin was penciled in as a massive betting underdog and has never lost twice in a row in his 38-fight record. Poirier went on to silence his critics with a massive knockout of his own. Afterward, Dustin appeared on the Ariel Helwani show and spoke about how he overcame his loss by shutting out everything and everyone and just going to work. He spoke about the dark place he was in after his loss and how he worked hard to battle those emotions to become a title contender yet again. The strategic marketing and branding efforts by organizations like the Ultimate Fighting Championship have turned combat sports into a global phenomenon. They've managed to package and sell the excitement, the danger, and the spectacle of the fight in a way that's appealing to a broad audience. Combat sports have always been about more than just a physical contest. We're just finally understanding that they're a platform for storytelling, personal connection, and shared experiences. That's why they've gained exponential popularity. #linkedinsports #sportsbusiness #combatsports #exponentialgrowth

The north star guides you. The vision motivates you. The goal keeps you focused. The outcome shows you that you can do it. There is nothing better than setting a goal and crushing it. So incredibly proud of the MarComm team at the New York Red Bulls. Storytelling. Engagement. Media partnerships. Fan engagement. They have accomplished this to date and more. There is much more work to be done. This is just the beginning. The new era of New York Red Bulls soccer is now. Let’s go. #inspire #teamwork #marketing