In a sport like basketball and in a league like the NBA where
players are larger (and taller) than life, it’s no surprise that spokespeople
are a big part of the marketing and PR strategy of individual teams and the
league as a whole.
Typically, the NBA’s “brand spokespeople” play on the court
or are the gurus behind managing player personalities in the locker room and on
the bench.
But more and more, teams are looking past their players and
coaches and bringing on celebrities to be extensions of their organizations.
This week the Toronto Raptors announced that Drake, a multi-platinum selling
and Grammy award winning hip-hop artist, will be their global ambassador.
Drake is hot on the scene, with a new album, ‘Nothing Was
The Same,” which
hit number one on the Billboard 200 last week, making it the second largest
sales week of 2013. He’s also from Toronto, and told ESPN that he’s “a Raptors
fan to death,” which certainly brings a sense of authenticity to this week’s
announcement.
According to the Toronto Star, Drake will act as a host,
business partner and consultant for the team, launch a clothing line in
conjunction with the Raptors and is being asked to consult on a complete
redesign of the club’s image to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the
franchise.
From free beer giveaways to creating
digital experiences for fan engagement, sports marketing is about driving
buzz and ratings, selling merchandise, and getting feet in the seats of teams’
respective stadiums. This week’s move by the Toronto Raptors is a smart way to
drive earned media for the team through Drake’s loyal fanbase across social and
traditional channels and by capitalizing on his cache.
5 MINS LEFT! #DrinksOnUs by @BudLight for #INDvsJAX. 2 free drinks w/ every ticket (starting @ $45, 21+ for beer): http://t.co/swklpUJOrY
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@jaguars) September 26, 2013
We’ll be keeping our eye on the “Headlines” that are a
result of the Drake-Raptors announcement and how the ambassadorship will play
into the earned and owned media strategies of the NBA, the Raptors and Drake.
For more on how brands are leveraging celebrity endorsements
as of late, check
out this piece from Gabriel Beltrone at AdWeek.
