How football is becoming the latest retail promotional season
Increasingly, retailers are building special omnichannel campaigns around a time of year sacred to many Americans – football season.
Football is the most popular sport in the U.S., with game broadcasts dominating the most-watched TV viewing events of the year and college and NFL visual content increasingly made available via social media, streaming networks and other emerging platforms.
Your customers, regardless of age, gender or other characteristics, are most likely watching football. Many of your competitors, regardless of vertical or core shopper demographics, are recognizing that fact by working football into their progressively more crowded seasonal promotional calendars.
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Here is a look at how three retailers across disparate verticals are getting ready for some football – and sales – with specially timed omnichannel campaigns:
Best Buy
Best Buy has two new partnerships with NBCUniversal and the National Football League (NFL) to help establish itself as a shopping destination for the needs of football fans, with a little help from its new "spokeshologram."
A custom ad campaign running during the 2024 football season across NBCUniversal properties NBC television and the Peacock streaming network features Best Buy’s new spokeshologram Gram appearing with NBC Sports hosts.
Another advertising spot featuring Gram called “Ultimate Tailgate” will demonstrate how a customer can use the tailgate technology sold at Best Buy.
The retailer is also running its fall football campaign via its own channels. Nearly 400 Best Buy locations will provide an in-store experience featuring game day and tailgate technology such as portable speakers, grills and TVs.
JCPenney
Throughout the football season, JCPenney will be announcing special limited-time offers on Prime Video NFL broadcasts, with help from some famous partners.
Continuing during each Thursday Amazon Prime Video gameday NFL broadcast for 16 weeks, a rotating lineup of celebrities, including Shaquille O’Neal and Martha Stewart, will present exclusive offers and promotions in a campaign called "JCPenney Really Big Deal."
These offers, accessible the Friday through Sunday following the broadcast online and/or in stores while supplies last, change weekly and will include products in a range of categories including fashion, home goods and beauty. According to JCPenney, the campaign is part of its holiday shopping strategy.
In addition to airing commercials, the campaign is supported by a 360-degree marketing plan, including promotion across social media, online video, email and in-store signage.
Michaels
The Michaels Companies has signed a three-year deal to serve as a one-stop game day shop for the Dallas Cowboys NFL pro football franchise. As part of its national partnership with "America’s Team," the specialty arts and crafts retailer (which is headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex) is selling supplies for customers to create Cowboys-themed party items, treats, crafts and home décor products, as well as custom framing services for jerseys.
Omnichannel features of the promotional partnership include “Fan Art Friday,” allowing customers to submit photos online of their Dallas Cowboys fan art for the chance to be featured on the Dallas Cowboys official social media channels throughout the season.
And on Saturday, Sept. 28, local sellers from MakerPlace by Michaels, the retailer’s new online marketplace for handmade goods, will participate in the Cowboys’ bi-annual flea market event at The Star in Frisco, Tex.
