Michigan #GoBlue Case Study

“Taking Twitter to

The Big House” Moving the Needle on Tradition

Presented by

Kathleen Hessert: Sports Media Challenge

Jordan Maleh: University of Michigan

© 2012 All Rights Reserved

Great Idea!

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

How Do We Know Its Impact?

Partner

for

3 Key

Needs

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

Measurement Tool

Expert Insight

Activation Team

• Integrate #GoBlue on the field

• Use social media to ignite & engage fans

• Listen & analyze

• Deliver measureable results

• Drive attendance

• Plan for possible expansion

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

Goals for #GoBlue

Where Do

They

Start?

7

Internal

Challenges

&

Solutions

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

• Ultra- traditional athletic legacy & fan base

• Build advance campaign to announce

• Communicate Spring Game only-

not regular season

• Create contest to engage fans early

• Coach who refuses to use social media

• Approval without personal participation

• No effective monitoring/ measurement

system currently used

• Partner to apply BuzzMgr tool &

personnel

• Determine best tactics & timing

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

• Stand alone event generates attention over attraction

• Eliminate view of #GoBlue as a gimmick

• Build ecosystem around it

• Solicit media & influential advocate buy-in ahead of time

• Extend to online & offline, in-stadium & displaced fans

• Contest to incent in advance

• Create Twitter ribbon on video board

• Widget to highlight fan engagement everywhere

#GoBlue

Fan Contest

Digital Street Team

Video Board

Widget

Live

TV

Monitor

Develop the

#GoBlue

Ecosystem

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

Checkins

Integrated

Tactics

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

• On field hashtag

• Email blast

• Fan contest

• Tweet board

• Storify

• Facebook posts

• Foursquare checkin

• Website

• Traditional media outreach

• BTN coverage

11 © 2012 Sports Media Challenge

Easy

Access,

Frictionless

Sharing,

Online &

Offline

Results

• 3 day contest

• 1,169 entries

Rules

• Follow @umichfootball

• Include #GloBlue

Win

• 10 VIP seats to Spring

Practice

• 4 scoreboard messages

during event

• 2 tix to Michigan vs.

Michigan State

• 1 of 2 $50 Gift cards

#GoBlue

Fan

Contest

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

@Sneaker1Freak I won!!! *does running man* Yeah yeah!! #GOBLUE

Traditional

Media

Outreach

ESPN’s #3 top headline of day “Tweet Idea” Day 2 of #GoBlue initiative

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

Big Ten

Network

Integration

On-field

&

On-Air

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

Smart

Listening

What we’re fans saying?

• Prior to event talking about surprise social initiative & divergence from tradition

• Day of conversation switched largely to football

• Top 5 themes:

– Spring game

– Hashtag

– Recruits in attendance

– Upcoming Football season

– Weather

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

16

BuzzMgr™

Stats

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

Buzz Rating • 9.9 on scale of 0-10 • April 10-16th

• Peaked on day of game

Where were fans talking? • 87.11% on Twitter

Geographic Reach • 39 states & 24 countries

Sentiment • 62.7% of Michigan, general sports fans & social media users were positive or vy pos.

Searches • 17,518 relevant posts • 5942 on game day

Hashtag Potential Reach • 24 hrs Thurs –Friday • 16,148,000 reach • Game day & prior reach significantly larger

Coverage

Drives Fan

Engagement

BTN Live Coverage: Michigan Spring Practice Avg: 15 TPM 30min before: 5 TPM Telecast 1st 30min: 18.4 TPM 1st 60min: 18.0 TPM Ohio State Avg 10.7 TPM 30min before: 2.5 TPM Telecast 1st 30min: 20.4 TPM 1st 60min: 15.0 TPM

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

18

Leverage

Influencers

&

Advocates

© 2012 Sports Media Challenge

INFL

UEN

CE

RELEVANCE

High relevance High influence

Low relevance Low influence

Influence Mapping

@mstatesports

A photo of Michigan's #GOBLUE hashtag

on the field for their spring game today

14 Apr 12

This has taken it to a whole other level. We love it.

1mm followers

Next Steps

• Listen deeply & consistently

• Leverage advocates already identified

• Focus on long term relationship building

• Engage influencers

• Develop social culture within department

• Up the game to prove devotion to leadership role

• Monetize © 2012 Sports Media Challenge

20

Play

More

In the

Social

Sandbox