X Games provides access to at-home Instagram users for maximum awareness
ESPN?s annual sports event X Games is ramping up consumer engagement on Instagram through a campaign in which user-generated content is aggregated and a link is provided to targeted users.
Videos taken on GoPros and smartphones by Instagram users in attendance at this past week?s X Games were featured in a continual feed on the social media platform, appearing in a link on the top of at-home consumers? feeds. The campaign coincides with the notion of mobile video and user-generated content continuing to gain popularity with consumers, leading social media platforms and brands to partner in similar efforts.
"The ESPN X Games campaign on Instagram, which provides a link for non-followers in their target demographics to see amazing GoPro content from the games is a great move for both brands,? said Anne Tuisl, director of account management at maconRAINE.
Instagram importance
At the top of Instagram, a link read ?your ticket to X Games Aspen,? which opened to a stream of videos posted on the social media platform by attendees. Videos ranged from the perspective of fans, employees and athletes, showing musical performances, sporting events and celebrations.
Each video provides a link back to the original user?s account through his or her username listed at the top of the video. Once the video is finished playing, the feed automatically plays the next clip, although users can scroll up if they want to re-watch the past snippet.
ESPN evolution
ESPN also launched a redesigned Web site for extreme sporting event the X Games in celebration of its 20th anniversary, providing mobile responsiveness to better connect with a millennial demographic. While the X Games is popular with a younger demographic, it must continually work on connecting with its audience on platforms popular with them (see more).
The network also brought the convenience of picture-in-picture viewing to mobile by merging WatchESPN into its existing application, enabling users to navigate around without missing any part of a game (see more).
?The demographics of GoPro and the X Games align nicely and GoPro is one of the top ten brands in followers on Instagram, this is sure to boost reach for ESPN's X Games,? Ms. Tuisl said. ?For GoPro, also a sponsor of the 2016 games, the X Games content provides the ultimate product demo and the perfect consumer audience."