Lisa Brown, Author at SponsorUnited

Potential Stateside TikTok Ban Could Offer Sponsorship Opps to Rivals

April 6, 2023

The U.S. government’s move to potentially ban TikTok in the U.S. begs the question: how would the stateside shutdown of the red-hot app affect the Web/App (Visual, Social & Collaboration) category?

There are more than 340 brands buying sponsorships / media in the category, which translates to 1 sponsorship deal per property and more than 2 deals per brand across all property types. Not surprisingly, these brands tend to embrace social media: 54% of all deals include a social post, while 22% include digital content. Just 3% of partnerships include TV-visible venue signage.

TikTok leads the list as the category’s most active brand, with over 65 sponsorship deals with properties including the New York Yankees, the Aston Martin F1 Team, and UFC. The entertainment app engaged 10.7M users across 140 total social posts in the last 12 months. Currently, 19 of TikTok’s sponsorship/media deals are in the U.S. Only time will tell how rumors of a looming ban will impact these deals.

Meta and Active Network tie for 2nd place with 20 sponsorships each, trailed by Bumble and Tinder in 3rd with 18 deals respectively. Facebook, Zoom, Discord, OnlyFans, and Webex by Cisco round out the top 10 most active brands.

Social posts lead the list of the category’s most frequently bought assets. Messenger, a Facebook sub-brand, partnered with Cardi B on three Instagram posts last year, scoring the most engagement of any brand in the category with 3.9M. Property entitlements, digital content, broadcast ads, and event content & activations are other assets popular within the Web/App category.

Growth of the Metaverse Provides New Sponsorship Opportunities for Enterprising Brands

April 5, 2023

As metaverse platforms like Decentraland, The Sandbox, and Roblox continue to cultivate their digital realms, they’re enticing brands and entertainment-related entities with a variety of opportunities to integrate into these expanding online worlds. Virtual events are increasingly evolving into gamified social experiences–a way to stay connected with friends, make new ones, and explore new digital environments in an engaging way. Numerous sports and entertainment entities have already forged a virtual presence on these fledgling platforms.

Both traditional and emerging sports leagues/teams–including the NFL, La Liga, the Australian Open, and FaZe Clan–have embraced the metaverse as a way to reach a younger demographic and ultimately convert them into fans. Last December, the NFL unveiled NFL Zone, a multifaceted metaverse experience built in Fortnite Creative. Presented by Visa, the league’s Official Payment Services Technology Partner, NFL Zone aims to engage existing fans while growing fan discoverability through an NFL-inspired social hub for both Fortnite players and NFL enthusiasts. “The Hub” offers a comprehensive fan experience, including a virtual tailgate and Visa-sponsored stadium and mini game.

Media and music brands/organizations are also targeting the metaverse to launch new content in innovative ways. In January, Warner Music Group made a splash by debuting Rhythm City, its first persistent metaverse music experience, on Roblox. The music-themed social roleplay activation introduces players to new music and artists, and offers access to a collection of digital items sold exclusively on the platform. These kinds of unique, limited-time events will no doubt expand in step with the metaverse, further highlighting the burgeoning overlap of these forms of entertainment.

Another prime example: Decentraland’s second annual Metaverse Fashion Week, which wrapped up on March 31st. Showcasing the importance of self-expression and the ability to create an identity in the digital world, the four-day virtual experience featured fashion shows and storefronts from brands like Adidas, Roland, Tommy Hilfiger, and Gaian, as well as parties, shopping, and panel talks. In this emerging virtual universe, brands can customize their stores and create various digital wearables and collectibles to be sold or gifted to visitors. The Doritos Triangle Studios–launched in Decentraland in February in a building the snack brand purchased on the platform–featured a venue filled with Doritos triangle-shaped musical instruments, and offered participants the chance to win prizes including wearables and a custom PC. Fully realized, 360-degree digital environments like these offer a compelling glimpse of the future of entertainment, marketing, and commerce in the metaverse.

March’s Hottest Brands Have Arrived!

April 4, 2023

For brands March is synonymous with March Madness, an action-packed month filled with activations from tournament sponsors, teams, and athletes. Coca-Cola, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Wendy’s, and AT&T rank among the most active brands during this perennial celebration of college basketball, as well as the 30 most searched brands on our platform last month.

Cloud security startup Wiz ranked #1 on last month’s list. On March 7th, the fast-growing company announced an exclusive strategic partnership with cybersecurity platform SentinelOne, with the goal of offering customers a top-tier cloud security solution to detect, prevent, and respond to cloud security threats. A week before, Wiz–now the top-valued, venture-backed cybersecurity vendor with a valuation of $10 billion–announced its first formal partner program, designed to help further accelerate the company’s sales by expanding its already robust value-added reseller (VAR) channels.

EasyPost took the #4 spot, on the heels of becoming the Official Shipping Solutions Partner of LIV Golf in late February. The agreement marks the first global partnership for the groundbreaking LIV Golf League, which features many of the world’s best golfers competing in 14 events in seven different countries throughout the year.

Soft drink giant Coca-Cola snagged 6th place after kicking off the month in high gear on March 5th, when Coca-Cola Zero Sugar partnered with 2023 Daytona 500 champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and JTG Daugherty Racing as co-primary sponsor on the No. 47 Camaro ZL1 for the NASCAR Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The soda icon also launched an ambitious new global campaign, “Masterpiece,” last month, which follows the path of an ice-cold Coke as it journeys from canvas to canvas–spanning the works of masters like Andy Warhol and Vincent Van Gogh, as well as emerging contemporary talents–to highlight the importance of bringing inspiration to everyday moments. Meanwhile, BodyArmor, the brand’s energy drink subsidiary, debuted its biggest campaign to date on March 15th starring Jennifer Lopez, in hopes the superstar can help boost flagging sales of its low-calorie BodyArmor Lyte beverage. Coca-Cola also continued to partner with celebrities including Magic Johnson, Lil Dicky, Travis “Taco” Bennett, and Tamika Catching in its March Madness “Best Coke Ever?” campaign, promoting Coke Zero Sugar with TV spots, outdoor advertising, and experiential activations in the Final Four host cities.

Dick’s Sporting Goods landed at #9 after announcing a new partnership anointing the brand the Official Sporting Goods Retail Partner of the NCAA. DSG launched its biggest ad campaign yet, “Sports Change Lives,” and as part of the deal, which included frequent commercials during March Madness broadcasts. Ahead of the Final Four, the brand also inked NIL deals with eight college basketball standouts: South Carolina‘s Aliyah Boston, Stanford‘s Haley Jones, Villanova‘s Maddie Siegrist, and Indiana‘s Mackenzie Holmes on the women’s side, and Gonzaga‘s Drew Timme, UCLA‘s Jaime Jaquez, Kansas‘ Jalen Wilson, and Houston‘s Marcus Sasser on the men’s roster.

SponsorUnited Secures $35 Million from Spectrum Equity

November 21, 2022

With Demand for Sponsorship Data Surging Worldwide, SponsorUnited Secures $35 Million from Spectrum Equity

SponsorUnited serves 2,900 brands and properties in over 25 countries, tracking 1.1 million sponsorship, media and endorsement deals per year

Stamford, CT – [November 21, 2022] – SponsorUnited, the leading global sports and entertainment intelligence platform, tracking 1.1 million sponsorship and media partnerships across 250,000 brands and properties, today announced a $35 million growth investment led by Spectrum Equity.

Launched in 2018, SponsorUnited is used by 2,900 brands and properties (IP rights holders) to successfully identify, evaluate and execute marketing partnerships. The company tracks real-time sponsorship and media data across sports and entertainment through a unique blend of machine intelligence and a global scouting network. Brands and properties are then able to access the sophisticated SaaS platform that delivers a complete end-to-end solution for discovery, ideation, activation and measurement.

“With the rapid expansion, diversification and increasing complexity of marketing partnerships, the need for a centralized platform that organizes all of the world’s sponsorship and media partnerships is in high demand,” said Bob Lynch, Founder and CEO of SponsorUnited. “Moreover, as the industry is challenged with budget, talent and resource constraints, we’re uniquely positioned to fill a critical need to drive better decisions and more successful partnerships.”

Initially rooted in sports – working with every major league and all but five major professional teams in the U.S. – SponsorUnited has expanded its tracking capabilities to entertainment and music, specifically, a key sponsorship vertical for brands and marketers. The minority investment will be used to continue to accelerate innovation and build upon the company’s category-leading insights and technology, meeting surging demand for greater intelligence in marketing partnerships.

“SponsorUnited delivers what brands and marketers need today – a smarter way to partner and strike deals,” said Chris Mitchell, Managing Director of Spectrum Equity. “They are capturing a comprehensive, real-time picture of the sponsorship ecosystem for brands and stakeholders – information that has been historically fragmented and inaccessible. We’re impressed by their strategic approach to the market and are eager to leverage our past experience with data and information services companies to help them continue to scale.”

Bob Lynch, SponsorUnited’s founder, is an expert on the sponsorship ecosystem, previously leading partnership efforts for BSE Global, parent company of the Brooklyn Nets, and the Miami Dolphins.

With the investment, SponsorUnited will welcome Chris Mitchell to the company’s Board as a Director and Emily Calkins as an Observer. They join existing members that include SponsorUnited’s Bob Lynch and Alain Benzaken, SponsorUnited’s CTO and COO. SponsorUnited’s current investors include Marc Lasry, owner of the Milwaukee Bucks and Ron Fowler, vice-chairman and co-owner of the San Diego Padres.

About SponsorUnited

SponsorUnited is the leading global sports and entertainment intelligence platform, delivering real-time trends and on-demand research that provide invaluable insights. With over 10M assets, 1M deals, 200K brands, and 30K properties across sports, media, music, and events in one SaaS database, SponsorUnited enables brands, properties and agencies to partner more effectively. By connecting the entire sponsorship ecosystem through the most comprehensive data available anywhere, SponsorUnited is fueling smarter partnerships. To learn more about SponsorUnited and how the platform is powering stronger partnerships for brands, agencies, properties, and talent, visit: https://sponsorunited.com.

About Spectrum Equity

Spectrum Equity is a leading growth equity firm providing capital and strategic support to innovative companies in the information economy. For over 28 years, the firm has partnered with exceptional entrepreneurs and management teams to build long-term value in market-leading internet-enabled software and data services companies. Representative investments include AllTrails, Ancestry, Definitive Healthcare, GoodRx, Grubhub, Lucid Software, Origami Risk, SurveyMonkey and Verafin. For more information, including a complete list of portfolio investments, visit www.spectrumequity.com.

Fall Is The NFL’s Prime Time To Shine On Social Media

October 5, 2022

Since the NFL calendar year kicked off last April, the league and its teams have amassed over 14K branded posts on social media, engaging more than 39M followers. Some 1,225 deals have been activated across social channels during the same period.

How does this compare to NFL athletes over the last 12 months? Players have activated 1,707 partnerships via social media across 3,099 posts for a total engagement of nearly 42M. On average, the league and teams have been more active on social media so far this season than the players themselves.

Thanks to their team partnerships, 828 brands have been showcased on social media since the season’s start. Technology tops the category list by number of posts, closely followed by Alcohol, Financial, and Healthcare.

The top 5 brands by post frequency so far:

Bud Light
Gatorade
Socios.com
EA Sports
Microsoft Surface

Meanwhile, 848 brands have had a post with NFL athletes over the last year. For player posts, Apparel & Accessories leads the way by industry, followed by Retail and Non-Alcoholic beverages. Bud Light is the only crossover among the top 5 brands:

DraftKings
Bose
Bud Light
Lowe’s
Sleep Number

The NFL season is prime time for players to showcase their brand partnerships across social media.

The top 5 posts by players and their brand partners (by engagement in September):

Tyreek Hill x Soul Runner (102K)
Josh Allen x New Era Cap (97K)
Justin Jefferson x Oakley (82K)
Chase Claypool x Jordan Brand (50K)
Justin Jefferson x Optimum Nutrition (47K)

Teams are also leveraging their endorsement deals on social as the season heads into its 5th week.

The top 5 posts by teams and their brand partners (by engagement in September):

NFL x Verizon (484K)

Miami Dolphins x Gatorade (203K)
Dallas Cowboys x Winstar World Casino & Resort (131K)
Pittsburgh Steelers x Gatorade (116K)
Dallas Cowboys x Bank of America (111K)

We Made The List!

August 16, 2022

SponsorUnited Debuts at No. 145 on the 2022 Inc. 5000 List

First-Time Honor Ranks Innovative Intelligence Platform in the Top 3% of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America

SponsorUnited, the leading global sports and entertainment intelligence platform, debuted today at No. 145 on the annual Inc. 5000 list–the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The list represents a snapshot of the most successful companies within the economy’s independent businesses–arguably its most dynamic segment. Microsoft, Patagonia, Chobani, Under Armour, Facebook, and many other household names first rose to prominence on the national stage as members of the Inc. 5000.

In addition to ranking No. 145 overall, SponsorUnited is the third fastest growing company in Connecticut, and the twelfth fastest growing Advertising & Marketing company on the list.

“Making the 2022 Inc. 5000 and ranking in the top 3% of companies on the list is a true testament to the sheer effort, attitude and ingenuity of the thousands of people who’ve contributed to SponsorUnited’s success,” said Bob Lynch, SponsorUnited’s Founder & CEO.

While working for the Miami Dolphins and then the Brooklyn Nets from 2010-2015, Lynch sensed an opportunity for brands and properties to partner more effectively in the complex world of sponsorships. Companies across industries would benefit enormously from a resource that demystified the sponsorship marketplace and provided greater accessibility to partnership deals.

Inspired by this mission, Lynch launched the SponsorUnited platform in 2018. The company has since grown substantially to 130 employees and 1,000 partners in 18 countries.

Complete results of the 2022 Inc. 5000 can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000.

Press Release

European Football 2021-22 Report

June 16, 2022

Download Now: https://sponsorunited.com/2021-22-european-football-partnerships/

The first international sponsorship and marketing report focused on European football.

The 2021-22 European Football Partnerships Report is fortified by data from over 7,000 brands across more than 9,000 deals and from 10 of the top European football leagues (Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1, along with each league’s corresponding second tier.) This report also contains growth and engagement insights on over 2,750 brands that created collaborative social media content.

Key findings from the report include:

Construction is the most active sponsorship category for the third consecutive season across European football leagues.
While Betting deals have declined by 10%, Crypto deals have grown an impressive 140% this season.
The most searched brands by European football club executives were Crypto.com, FTX, DraftKings, Verizon and Dunkin’.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi now officially have over 1B followers combined due in part to joining new clubs.
Transferring teams can offer a huge boost in social following for players.

This report was compiled using SponsorUnited’s proprietary platform data from July 2021 through May 2022. Social data compiled from property or person-controlled Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and LinkedIn accounts and social activity. The leagues included in this report are as follows: Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, EFL Championship, LaLiga 2, Serie B, 2. Bundesliga, Ligue 2.

Social Media Category Patterns Take Shape

April 14, 2022

According to an analysis of over 30,000 brands spending on endorsements or sponsorship/media campaigns, each of the “Power 5” platforms represents a unique characterization. For example, Consumer Products is the most active category on TikTok, while not cracking the top five on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

This past year, we tracked over 30,000 brands buying endorsements or sponsorship/media campaigns that included social media. We found that the Alcohol category had the most sponsored posts in Major Pro Sports, led by Bud Light and Michelob Ultra. The most engaging post in Major Pro Sports was Bibigo’s jersey patch announcement with the Los Angeles Lakers, which saw an engagement score of 1,056,188. The New England Patriots had the highest engaging TikTok post–a sponsored video partnering with apparel company Stitch.

A major decision maker when choosing TikTok for branded social posts, is to directly target a younger demographic with personable content, as 41% of the user base is made up of people ages 16-24. Manscaped is a top five brand in the consumer products category when ranked by total partnerships, and leverages TikTok through integrated videos with verified social influencers such as TooTurntTony, who’s sponsored TikTok videos with Manscaped average 386,000 engagements. Walmart leads all brands in total integrated media deals on TikTok, having 66 partnerships with a roster of celebrities and influencers to promote beauty products and fashion designs.

The Apparel & Accessories category appears in the top five categories for all social media platforms, and is led by the two apparel giants Nike and adidas. An impressive 60% of all adidas 900+ partnerships include social media content, while only 37% of Nike’s 1,600+ partnerships.

Sponsor Insights

Author: Lisa Brown

Growth of the Metaverse Provides New Sponsorship Opportunities for Enterprising Brands

European Football 2021-22 Report

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