Darren Heitner has been asked to speak at the annual SxSW conference that takes place in Austin, Texas. SxSW recently added a sports component to its offering and Heitner will speak specifically on how technology can enhance the way that sports are consumed.
The title of the panel is, Winning Ways to Engage Sports Fans, Non-Traditionally and will be held on March 13, 2017 at the Four Season San Jacinto.
The panel’s description is as follows:
Today’s sports fans live in a mobile, live-streaming, real-time world and as technology continues to evolve, new and unique ways of engaging fans are being tested by sports biggest players hungry to reach the 85% of fans who are active on their mobile devices either checking their fantasy team or sharing content on social media while at the game or on their couch. Advances in technology have drastically changed the way professional sports teams, leagues and sports’ biggest sponsors market to their audience, with social media serving as a direct line for delivering their message, gaining insights from the consumer and sustaining a two-way dialogue. Gone are the days where brands were lauded for ‘out-of-the-box’ activations that harnessed the power of technology; this IS the new ‘traditional’ marketing. In this ‘digital first’ society, how do sports-centric brands evolve and reach their audiences in non-traditional ways within an increasingly populated landscape? Is it a matter of finding the next ‘non-traditional’ marketing tactic or is it time for companies themselves to go back to the drawing boards and rethink their product to grow within this new age?