SNAAAAAAPCHAT: Changing the game
In October, Tournament Guy was contacted by Baseball Youth. It is one of the most highly respected sporting event brands in the country. They have numerous events and they use, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to reach their customers. Realizing the value of Snapchat they wanted to incorporate it in their All-American Games at Historic Dodgertown.
At TG we have been creating stories since early 2015 and Baseball Youth wanted to test the stories with their base. The social experiment was to be judged on outside engagement, number of views, and impact inside the event. The yellow ghost is very different from other platforms because it requires the end user to click on the story to view. It is a 100% fully engaged platform with 10 second bursts of pictures and video.
Our first story was myself walking down the street in my white Rebok shoes with the song “Regulate,” by Warren G playing in the background. The second scene had me standing under a street light with the camera going from my shoes all they way up to the brim of my cap. I was wearing retro sunglasses, hands to my hips, and my chest puffed out like a superhero. The story ends with a black canvas and the writing said, “Are you ready?” with the BY and All-American Games symbol. The story received 450 views across all scenes.
On day 2, we arrived at Vero Beach and introduced the event and the hashtag CreatYourStory. Day 3 showcased the opening ceremonies, first games, and our Snapchat challenge. The challenge required all contestants to take pictures in front of Historic Dodgertown sign, Jackie Robinson Ln, and make a 10 second video of their best bat flip. The winners would receive an item of their choice from the pro shop tent. On the last two days we gave an inside look into homerun derby and the championship games.
At the end of it all, we became community celeberites for the weekend. Parents came up to us asking who we were, and players were trying to find their way on the story. The attention of the event was all encompassing, and didn’t just stay on the field. People wanted to get involved and stay involved. It was like having our own television broadcast with a different show everyday.
Concluding Remarks:
Social media is the topic of the decade, and it allows for us to communicate in a very unique way. It is one of the few places where the barriers of entry are slim. Speaking to directors on a consistent basis they are trying to find ways to market their events, and they don’t realize the amount of resources spent on social can make a difference. Email is falling to the way side, direct mail is only beneficial if you target a very specific audience, and no one likes cold calls, not even your dog.
Execution is completely different in social. People will not respond positively to hard sell advertising. Respecting the platforms native posting is the only way a brand will have a huge impact. Example, Baseball Youth hired us to create stories. We created stories that would keep someone fully engaged. There was no traditional selling tactics. It was genuine and organic. Anytime you can provide a masterful amount of value to someone, you are setting up the table for an easier sale. The same is true across all platforms, respect the native side by creating content that tells your story.
Every company has to be concerned with their product first, but marketing is whats going to push it. The market will buy, but they have to know what they are buying. The attention of the consumers are on their phones. We need to go where the eyes are placed.
You can add both Ryan and I on Snapchat by adding our usernames (rRohmiller/Spidey095). Send us a funny picture, so we know you read this blog :). If you want to create a story with us, please send us a snap.
/Spiker Helms- CEO of Tournament Guy
SNAPCHAT STORIES FROM BY ALL-AMERICAN GAMES