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E-Newsletter   |  JUNE 2017
SURVEY OF THE AMERICAN GOLFER
SLRG partnered with  GOLF.com and Sports Illustrated Golf Group to gauge the attitudes and opinions of over 1,000 avid golfers on a number of provocative topics about the state of the game in 2017.  Watch the one minute highlight video and read the report HERE. 

Recent Research of Interest
What Motivates the Sports Fan?
A big challenge confronting nearly every team or sports property is that of expanding the fan base and driving a deeper level of engagement among those who are already doing so at various levels. 

We've recently worked with a number of properties to confront this challenge, particularly in an environment where onsite amenities and the live sports experience must evolve in order to differentiate itself from high definition TV aided, stay at home options. There is no singular silver bullet.  Rather, we have found that often a segmented approach can reap bigger dividends in better assessing and understanding the context of the live sports experience for different audiences.

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For example, families' compared to young professionals, versus long time fans, all consider the live sports experience relative to different alternative options for their entertainment dollars. One way that SLRG has sought to uncover these insights in a qualitative framework, is to use a variety of projective techniques  where respondents are segmented accordingly and then interviewed with exposure to a variety of archetypal photo cards that are intentionally designed to be somewhat ambiguous to the type of fan that each photo represents. The respondent is then presented with a series of additional stimuli that is representative of a variety of competitive sports and entertainment options. Based upon the fans' subjective description of who is depicted in each fan photo, and the resulting rationale for why a respondent associates that person with a specific entertainment option, we gain valuable insights.  Specifically, we've often uncovered deeply embedded emotional connections or disconnections about the perceived venue specific experience and its "appropriateness" and ROI relative to substitutes for different audiences.
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From these learnings we can further probe to ascertain what might constitute an ideal experience for each segment and can then often, when available, test the potential impact and efficacy of prototype advertising and communications. This research has also helped us better understand media utilization and other aspects of the marketing mix that will be most appealing and relevant to each fan segment. While much of our recent work has been geared towards specific properties, we have also found it to be impactful for activating sponsors who are looking to optimize their presence on site.  Contact us today, to see how we can do this for you.
POV
Longitudinal Testing and Experimental Design Yield Dividends for New Creative 
At SLRG, we've always been big proponents of experimental design as a means to isolate and measure the impact of new products or new marketing executions. Whether it's a brand launching a new SKU or line extension, a hotel or resort property that is introducing an expansion, or a sports property coming out with fresh ticket marketing creative, we are able to start with a zero baseline and minimal awareness or preconceived perceptions of how the launch aligns with the desired positioning. 

By initiating testing before the launch, properly designed testing opens a unique window into how the new campaign's unique selling proposition resonates and accumulates over time, while simultaneously seeing the market impact on relevant competitors that may enjoy initial first mover advantages. Read more here.

SLRG IN THE NEWS
A Tipping Point for the Era of Custom Content
ESPN's recent layoffs on the "talent" side, add fuel to a trend towards narrower vertically oriented sports media content.  In the May blog, a look at how research can inform those sports marketers looking to capitalize on this "one-to-one" dialogue.    Read it here.

MRII Blog: You Can't Eat Audience Impressions

In this May blog post from Marketing Research Institute International (MRII), important distinctions are drawn regarding the relative value of reach vs. audience engagement, in today's marketing climate Click here to read it.
MRII Blog: Industry Expertise Matters When Delivering Insights Vs. Data

In his April 2017 MRII blog, Jon Last speaks to how vertical industry expertise can make a big difference for marketing researchers looking to be consultative in their transition to providers of insights.  Click here to read it.
Connect with SLRG
Click here for archived issues of SLRG's "News & Views" e-newsletter, for all of the most up-to-date insight on issues impacting marketing research, the media, travel, sports and leisure industries.

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