Why Marketability and Social Media is Altering the Playing Field for College Athletes
The latest trends in influencer marketing and how name, image and likeness is creating endless opportunities for brands to work with collegiate athletes
For years, college athletes have racked up Twitter and Instagram followers due to their on-the-field fame, but despite these large followings, a quarterback known for slinging touchdowns was prohibited from slinging endorsements thanks to a system that prohibited athletes from profiting off of their image or performance. But this summer that changed, and with college athletes now able to profit off their name, image, and likeness, it’s left companies such as Captiv8, an influencer marketing platform, ready to hit the ground running with a new pool of talent.
“Scale for creators or athletes within specific verticals is pretty tough,” Krishna Subramanian said. “It’s hard to snap your fingers and get a hundred college athletes activated in minutes. Platforms like Captiv8 have made it easier to do that in the digital creator space. With creators that have been around for a while, you can go through specific verticals. With college athletes, it’s a green field right now.”
Even though name, image, and likeness is a new avenue for marketers, influencer marketing is not, and over the last 18 months, marketers have leaned more heavily into the channel with an eye towards converting on a creators audience.
“It’s been exciting to see brands lean into influencers and creators,” Subramanian said. “They leaned into them to tell those authentic stories of their brands. When consumers were looking to people that they trust, whether they’re their friends or creators that they have emotional connection to, those creators became really important storytellers for the brand.”
On a recent episode of Marketing Trends, Subramanian goes deep into the weeds of influencer marketing, providing dos and don’t for brands looking to partner with influences and provides what strategies work best. He also explains how name, image, and likeness is providing brands with untapped opportunities when it comes to partnering with college athletes.
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