Basketball is one of the biggest passions in my life.
I love everything about the game – the hustle, the clutch shots, the communication on the court, all of it.
What’s more, I also consider myself to be an avid NBA (National Basketball Association) Fan. And I know I’m not alone.
According to this blog nielsenwire (http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/nba-playoffs-where-amazing-marketing-happens/), NBA’s telecast viewership, especially during playoffs time, has been steadily increasing for the past several years – with the last 2010 NBA Finals Game 7 reaching a audience of over 28.2 million people (making it the most watched NBA game since Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals)
In addition, NBA’s official channel on YouTube is garnering a tremendous amount of attention and support. Currently, the channel has more than 515 million upload views with over 260 thousand subscribers. The closest comparable major sports leagues using this online medium is the NHL, which has around 63 million upload views and 70 thousand subscribers. Neither MLB or NFL have their own YouTube Channel.
One can’t help but ask how the NBA is gaining such momentum. While many factors (exciting matches, franchise rivalries) may contribute to this, Nielsen offers a interesting explanation which relates to a marketing campaign created by NBA several years ago
Beginning in 2007, NBA released a series of commercials which revolved around the theme “NBA: Where Amazing Happens”. These short clips featured NBA players in still action shots with dramatic music in the background and helped emphasize to the viewers of the memorable moments in the game which often can be missed due to the pace of the game. (See for yourself with the video below)
This reminds me of what we learned in class today – a campaign like this helps build an affective commitment from the consumer to the brand. As you watch the commercial, you can’t help but want to be part of the moment or experience when something special happens in the NBA.
The slogan is still used to this day – and it’s working. On April 2009, interest in the NBA was at its highest since July 2007, with over 33% of total persons aged 12 and older identifying themselves as an avid NBA Fan.