Ben Wasserman’s Post

💃 Love her or hate her, it's impossible to escape her: Taylor Swift has taken the world by storm, turning seemingly everything she touches into gold (and subsequent controversy). 👀 As a result, Taylor Swift has achieved a level of brand recognition that businesses dream of attaining: so much so, in fact, that just her appearance at Chief's football games (for a whopping average of around 30 seconds per 3+ hour game) has sparked outrage from fans who think it is "too much". 👉 The takeaway? 1. Your ability to achieve brand recognition is paramount for business growth and 2. If you make your moments count, you only need seconds to create an impact. ✨ So even if you're a hater, faker, or a heartbreaker, take it from Miss Swift: you never know what you can achieve if you seize your moment and reach for the stars. #Huumanize #marketingagency #taylorswift #nfl

Last week, Sports Business Journal published a piece by GSE's very own, Sandra Richards. Sandra is the Head of Global Sports & Entertainment at Morgan Stanley and a good friend. In the article, she discusses the importance of one's reputation in the sports and entertainment industries, as well as advice on how to navigate life in the spotlight. Please take a few moments to check it out!

What do Taylor Swift and NRL in Vegas tells us about comms? 1. Excite your core base with a once in a lifetime opportunity. 2. Build fan loyalty by taking on sacred cows (rugby league will never work in America, what’s the point of re-recording all your albums?) 3. Have something to say and say it regularly through your best channels. 4. Build your audience via both traditional and non traditional channels. 5. In the case of the NRL, leverage your media partnerships to ensure widespread awareness and record ratings, the biggest ever for round 1. 6. In the case of Taylor Swift, produce something of such quality and scarcity (millions register for approx 600K public tickets) that tradition media end up producing live blogs and coverage, knowing that millions are interested. While your company might not be as big as Taylor Swift or the NRL there are some key lessons: 1. Position yourself strongly and have something to say in public of interest to people that gets them talking. 2. Challenge sacred cows and see if you can give the public what they want or something they haven’t thought about. 3. Be relentless in follow up, next steps, planning and execution to make your offering something that goes beyond a game of footy or a concert and becomes an event or information not to be missed. #corporatecommunications #ceo #cmo #brandawareness #mediarelations ********** You can follow Daniel McDougall and get his perspectives from 25 years in the media and communications industry.

Not a done deal but the average annual revenue to the league would be $6.9B split among Disney/ESPN ($2.6B), NBC ($2.5B) and Amazon ($1.8B) over the term of 11 years.

Another insightful article from THR's very own Alex Weprin about the convergence of professional sports and media...great read!

You follow Savannah Bananas, right? 🍌🍌🍌 I couldn't visit Savannah without seeing Grayson Stadium. That's where they play. Unfortunately, there wasn't a game going on. Heck, I wouldn't have been able to get tickets anyway. They're sold out for the entire season! But it was still cool to step on the grounds of greatness. Not greatness in terms of World Series rings like the Yanks. 💍 But greatness in terms of industry disruption, authentic entertainment, and social media content that not many brands can match. You've probably been following along with Jesse Cole and his story for years. Just like me. And it's been incredible to watch. Which means you know some of the things that make this team stand out: ⚾ Something unique at every game. ⚾ 2-hour limit on games, so they don't go on & on. ⚾ All sorts of extra rules to keep the game interesting - like no walks (instead they're called sprints), no mound visits, and fan foul ball catches are real outs. ⚾ Tickets are a flat $35 and don't scale based on demand. ⚾ There's singing, dancing, costumes, and craziness Their social media following is only one example of their success: 🔅 Instagam: 2.5 million 🔅 TikTok: 8.4 million 🔅 Twitter: 200k 🔅 Facebook: 2.2 million That's just evidence that what they're doing on the field matters and is making a difference. 🧢 Sports is like theater. Since it's live, you never know what to expect. And Jesse has embraced that to the absolute fullest extent. I'm glad I got to stop by and see the field. Just wish I could have caught a game. 🏟️ Maybe I'll be able to get a ticket next time they come to Syracuse or Cooperstown. Until then... Have you seen the Savannah Bananas yet? 🍌 Is it on your wishlist? 📑

 "Hollywood leaders see the data, they'd just rather lose money than lose power." Also reminds me of the important work that Suzan Hourieh Lindberg and the Perspetivo team does in terms of gathering objective statistics and data to drive business decisions. Once companies are presented with objective data, yet still choose the status quo, then their values are crystal clear. #business #decisionmaking #data #statistics

Paul, Weiss alumnus Frank Lamicella discusses how he got into the sports and entertainment industry and his advice for those looking to do the same. https://lnkd.in/eJd6nU9J #sportslaw #entertainmentlaw

Reflecting on the RFK #SuperBowlAd this morning, as both a #marketer and a #history enthusiast. I initially found it to be a stroke of genius, redoing the iconic JFK ad from the 60s (original below). It seemed to pay homage to his family legacy while offering a fresh perspective, akin to a Trump-esque 'Make America Great Again' message, albeit from a different vantage point. However, my perception shifted when I witnessed the backlash on social and the subsequent apology from RFK. It became apparent that while the ad may have resonated with those familiar with the campaign or history buffs like myself, its impact on the family's emotions was unforeseen, especially considering they were blindsided by its release. In the end, the real lesson that will live on in #marketing, #publicrelations, and #advertising textbooks for a different reason. Despite the considerable investment—reportedly $7M for the spot alone—the ROI appears dubious at best. The ad's polarizing reception underscores the importance of thorough audience research and sensitivity, lest the costs outweigh the benefits. What are your thoughts on this commercial and its aftermath? #SuperBowlAds #RFK #AdvertisingStrategy #BrandManagement