The game has changed and so have the fans. For marketers this means means changing the way they communicate and so far the NBA is failing to recognize this.
That was the conclusion made by Tor Myhren during his keynote address at the IMG Sports Marketing Symposium earlier this month. Myhren is President & CEO of Grey New York and creator of the widely popular “ETrade Baby” commercials.
Addressing the topic of creativity, Myhren pointed out that consumer behaviors may have changed, but so have generations. Myhren used movie comparison to demonstrate the cultural differences between each generation –Easy Rider (Boomers), The Breakfast Club (Gen X) and Harry potter (Millennials).
He continued:
Ultimately we want to talk to the millennials but first need to understand Gen X. Millennials have overprotective parents, are incredibly optimistic, is a generation of we not me, believe in the group and believes the group ultimately will overcome and make the world better. I call this radical collaboration. The internet is shaping these people.
So what’s an example of a sport that’s “getting” it right now? Myhren thinks the NFL, which has successfully shifted it’s marketing to promote the league as a “we” over a “me” sport. This is hitting home with the millennial generation.
Related Stories: