NEW YORK (AP) — Who won college basketball? AT&T's marketing chief is hoping you'll ask, “What tournament?”
The communications giant will once again sponsor the men's and women's college basketball tournaments. It is also significantly increasing its investment in the women's tournament as record-setting superstar Caitlin Clark from the University of Iowa draws more viewers. AT&T's chief marketing and growth officer, Kellyn Smith Kenney, recently spoke with The Associated Press about the tournament. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: Can you explain how big of a phenomenon Caitlin Clark is right now from a marketer's perspective?
A: She's a big deal. Her impact on sports ratings, buzz, social activity around her and around the state of Iowa has taken all of the incredible coverage and popularity of the past year and succeeded in amplifying it. Did.
Last year, the final women's March Madness game drew just under 10 million viewers. What we're seeing this year are numbers that blow away (last year's trends).
Q: So you want to promote her game?
A: One of the surprising things is that women's sports are a very smart investment for brands and advertisers. Female sports viewers account for a disproportionate share of household discretionary spending. They are much more likely to remember and recall brands that promote during women's sports, and associate those brands with supporting women's sports.
We seem to be in a moment of woman power and girl power right now. If you look at Beyoncé and Taylor Swift and their tours last year, and Caitlin (Clark) and Sabrina (professional basketball player Ionescu) this year, there's incredible momentum.
Q: Does Caitlin Clark remind you of another superstar, or does everything feel new to you?
A: I think this is probably a once-in-a-generation thing. If you compare her intensity in her sport to other athletes, she's comparable to Mikaela Shiffrin in skiing and Serena Williams in tennis. It's incredible how much momentum and true passion she was able to generate for this sport.
Q: So will you be disappointed that you won't be able to play in the women's college tournament next year?
A: She brought so much attention to the sport that there are other famous names now. LSU's win over Iowa last year also brought in some up-and-coming stars and some familiar names. I hope she is more like the spark that starts the fire. I think that's what we're looking for. Women's sports are attracting attention.
Q: Has AT&T done anything different with the women's tournament this year compared to past years?
A: We have a long track record of investing in women's sports. Although the hype around women's sports has intensified, we have always believed strongly in women's sports.
Double media investment in women's tournaments from 2023 to 2024.
We're sponsors of the March Madness Bracket, and we're on a mission to make the bracket even more fair. Every time someone asks, “Did you fill out the March Madness column?” I want the response to be, “Yes, he filled out two, one for women and one for men.”
Q: Even if you were able to look more broadly at live sports in general, do you think that would still be the best way to reach potential customers?
A: There's no question that live sports can serve fans who don't have to jump around to other shows. they are very enthusiastic. They feel so passionate and connected to your content that it's one of the most consistent mass reach methods for reaching customers and prospects.
The great thing about sports is that it's a shared passion. When a brand advertises and communicates through sports, fans can quickly tell if the brand is an authentic sports fan and truly understands fandom, players, coaches, and dynamics. Everything AT&T does is trying to meet fans where they are. We think beyond commercials and advertising.
Q: Even with the media collapse, are you still finding fans?
A: Last year, 30% of games watched were played on mobile devices. The number is increasing every year. This highlights how important it is for brands to tell their story and not limit it to broadcast television. More than 30% need to adapt to how they view on mobile phones and tablets. This means you can easily switch to other apps and experiences.
There were pylon cameras in college football (in addition to cameras mounted above the basketball rim and on drones). AT&T 5G-enabled cameras allow fans to observe from inside whether he can reach the end zone by a centimeter difference. .
Q: Are the crowds for the men's and women's tournaments much different or concentrated?
A: We are starting to see that the situation is gradually converging. It's not this nascent, small niche fan base of women's basketball. Its appeal is expanding rapidly.
