Brkthru

2025 NCAA Basketball Playoffs: A Great Ad Play You Can Make This Year Brian Wadley, Associate Client Success Director The NCAA basketball playoffs each Spring are not just a tournament - it’s a national event that commands attention. 70 million brackets are filled out every year, and millions of fans tune in, whether they are die-hard supporters, alumni, fantasy players, or casual viewers. The 2024 tournaments broke records and set a new standard for engagement. The 2024 women’s championship game outperformed the men’s, peaking at 24 million viewers. Meanwhile, the men’s final saw 14.82 million viewers. The numbers across the entire tournament are just as strong. The men’s tournament averaged 9.9 million viewers across CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV, while digital streaming continues to grow, with 29 percent of fans using services like Hulu, YouTube TV, and Paramount+. Viewership is climbing. Engagement is rising. Advertising demand is at an all-time high. March tournaments generated more than $1 billion in ad revenue in 2024, and premium TV spots for the championship game sold between $2.2 million and $2.3 million. Earlier rounds commanded hundreds of thousands per 30-second spot, with major brands like Capital One, Coca-Cola, AT&T, The Home Depot, Marriott, Unilever, Reese’s, Buick, and Nissan securing premium placements well before tip-off. For regional and local advertisers, it has historically been difficult to compete for visibility. Brkthru changes that. Brkthru provides access for local and regional advertisers and their agencies during the NCAA tournament period to digital ad opportunities beyond just national TV, allowing advertisers to reach engaged audiences without having to compete with national brands at premium TV rates. Here’s how we do it: - Multi-Platform Exposure, reaching fans wherever they consumer tournament content, through social media, YouTube, sports sites, and streaming platforms before, during, and after finalist and tournament games. - Precision Targeting, connecting with specific fan bases, geographic regions, and key demographics based on audience behaviors and interests. - Flexible Campaign Options, getting exposure during one of the most-watched sporting events of the year with strategic digital campaigns. - Proven Engagement – college basketball tournament fans spend an average of 13 hours watching. This is the audience that is paying attention. Brkthru provides customized digital advertising opportunities designed to get brands in front of highly engaged fans throughout the tournament. But, the NCAA tournament period is fast-moving, and ad inventory disappears quickly. So, now is the time to secure placement and get in front of this highly valuable audience. Interested in how Brkthru can help your brand stand out during the NCAA playoffs? Let’s talk: https://lnkd.in/eV7fmnuC #DigitalAds #BasketballFever #NCAA

Brkthru Celebrates Manager Accelerator Graduates!? ? Congratulations to Brkthru managers who completed our Manager Accelerator Program - Corey Dull, Joslyn Stein, Cindy Corbett, Rachel Collins, Dustin Moody, Ayla Berger, Michael Magliozzi, MBA, Kelly Walkup, Rosalina Munoz, and Alena Anderson! ? Over the course of this?10-month virtual program, this group of new managers has: -Engaged in?11 monthly huddles?to share insights and problem-solve together -Completed?9 modules?designed to strengthen their leadership skills -Applied new strategies?on the job?to elevate their teams ? Through this program, they’ve honed key leadership skills such as: -Leading?effective 1:1s?that drive performance and foster strong connections -Building?trust and promoting psychological safety?for improved collaboration -Giving & receiving?feedback?to create a culture of growth and continuous improvement ? “Considering 70 percent of a team's level of engagement is directly influenced by managers (Gallup, 2019), these leaders have invested in their growth to build stronger teams and a thriving, people-centric culture at Brkthru,” says Emily O’Connor, Brkthru Learning Development Specialist. ? A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our participants for your dedication and commitment. Your leadership is making a real impact! #managertraining #leadershipdevelopment #managerdevelopment #managergenius

Congratulations Brkthru U February 2025 Class! For the eleventh time, a group on Brkthru employees graduated from our innovative, weeklong immersive training program titled Brkthru U. The class covers our commitment to service, Core Values and brand pillars, how we work and processes, strategic approach to digital media, department overviews, our clients and key verticals, and The Brkthru Way. “Brkthru U was an invaluable way to kick off our careers at Brkthru, showcasing how the company truly invests in its people from day one,” said Allyson (Dunlap) Shortall, Client Success Director and one of last week’s graduates. “The week highlighted why Brkthru stands apart—it cares about us as individuals, recognizes the unique personalities and experiences we each bring to the table, and fosters a sense of belonging. What other company invests this much into their employees from the very start? The Brkthru way is clear!” The Brkthru Detroit Hub (one of 19 regional employee hubs across the country) also invited last week’s class to join them for a Detroit pizza dinner. Brkthru U classes are held at the Detroit Training Center in Southfield, MI, our 7,000 square-foot facility that includes two training rooms, modular open space and offices, and state-of-the art audio-visual technology. “What an awesome week of learning about what makes BrkThru unique!” shared Client Success Director Sean Scanlon. ?“It was great to meet so many new people and learn more about their stories. Go forth and conquer!” Brkthru U educates all employees about how the word YES is vital to Brkthru’s commitment to service and has become the cornerstone of success since our founding in 2017. Any digital media pro curious about a company that invests time and resources to onboarding and training, we invite to head over to our careers page to check out the open positions: https://lnkd.in/gaBappWZ

Marketing and ad trade journals, and general media, obsess every year reporting the exorbitant money spent by major advertisers in the Super Bowl. This year is no different. At upwards of $8 million for a spot, little more than 50 advertisers across the country get ads in the game. Aren’t journalists missing another angle to the story? Brkthru’s Director of Media Services, Joe Leverone, shares some thoughts: Marketers don’t need to stand on the sidelines if they don’t want to foot the $8 million for a 30-second ad during the big game. In fact, for many, it’s a wise choice not to.? ? The game is a full experience. We gather with friends, family and neighbors for an event that is much larger than what is happening on the field. Many times, it is simply not enough to cut through to the consumer – especially if you’re overshadowed by another brand.? ? Brkthru recommends taking a more holistic approach to the game to become part of the game day experience rather than a footnote: ? YouTube According to Nielsen, YouTube accounted for 11.1% of all TV viewership in December 2024. Compare that to Max at 1.2%. YouTube has become a living room experience for many, at a price point that allows anyone to get in on the action. Whether its folks watching game highlights, celebrity takes on the game (hello Taylor!), or their favorite podcast personalities, YouTube is part of the experience for even the most casual of game watchers.?? ? Mobile Ads/Contextual? Roughly 1/4 of adults will bet on the Super Bowl this year – that’s hard for marketers to ignore. This is going to lead to increased screen time checking updates, stat lines, odds, blogs, and more.?Advertisers have an opportunity to reach millions of people using?mobile ads and contextually relevant pages. It is now possible to curate sites for advertisers where these eyes will be, and to tailor messaging that resonates.? ? Social? Post and advertise on social media during the game. The game is filled with viral moments – and people in the living room aren’t the only ones you’ll want to share them with. Social media is a key part of the experience, and brands need to take advantage of that. During game breaks, people will be looking at their phones to see friends' reactions to the big moments – giving advertisers another opportunity to be a part of an exciting, shared experience.?? ? Digital Out of Home? The average Super Bowl party will cost folks close to $140 in food. Get in front of those consumers through digital out of home ads. These highly targeted ads can reach people as close to the checkout at their closest grocery store and on screens outside of stores. Once again, advertising around the big game is truly about game day, not just the TV production.? ? The big game isn’t just for major brands. Anyone can get on the field. We’re working with our clients daily to help them be a part of a cultural experience that will leave a lasting impact beyond the commercial break.? #SuperBowl #marketing

It’s not too late to advertise for the big game - Super Bowl ads aren’t the only way to get your brand out there. Most companies can benefit from advertising with the full gameday experience in mind, finding opportunities in high-traffic areas like grocery stores, on social media during the game and more. ? Our co-founder and Managing Director @Jeff Hastedt?shares one of his top #SuperBowl #marketing recommendations with @Chris Kelly?of?Industry Dive. Read it here:?https://bit.ly/4hOk83B ?

Client Success Teams Kick Off 2025 with a Bang! 51 members of the Brkthru Client Success, Sales Development and Business Development teams worked this week in Southfield, MI, to plot their gameplans for 2025 and participate in valuable in-person training. The agenda included prospecting and qualifying leads, networking, developing strategies and proposals. And of course, there was plenty of time for energizing team-building exercises and group dinners. The Business Development team shared a WWE-type championship belt that will be awarded to a member of that team on a weekly basis in recognition of that week’s activities and results. The three-day event was held at the Brkthru Detroit Training Center (DTC), our 7,000 square foot facility designed specifically for new employee training and department offsite meetings. Since its opening in early 2024, we have held 10 events at the DTC. #team #training #core values

"Our mission at Brkthru is to give smaller agencies and clients access to digital ad placement at scale, backed by high-touch support from real humans."?Jeff Hastedt, Co-Founder and Managing Director, shares more about his entrepreneur journey, how he believes #AI will change the landscape of #AdTech and tips for creating a successful career in #advertising. Read more in?Authority Magazine.?https://bit.ly/3DKdUCV

"Schools are prioritizing long-form digital outlets like streaming video, connected TV, podcasts, and YouTube, alongside short-form platforms like TikTok, which has grown in popularity across all age groups. However, advertising to Gen-Z presents challenges as targeting regulations tighten. This shift makes the adults in students’ lives even more critical for driving interest and enrollment."?Jeff Hastedt, Co-Founder and Managing Director, shares why #HigherEducation institutions must implement a digital media buying strategy across diverse platforms to "get butts in seats" during the upcoming enrollment period. Read more in?eCampus News:?https://bit.ly/4gXFACO

Brkthru team members celebrated the holidays season with colleagues at Hub Hangouts across the country. Our Hub Hangouts are an opportunity for the nearly 200 Brkthru employees in 19 hubs across the country to get together at a location of their choosing to socialize and spend quality time together. The Brkthru Orlando Hub made candles. Our Tampa hub closed out the year with a holiday lunch and white elephant gift exchange at The Columbia Restaurant on Tampa Bay!?It’s the oldest operated restaurant in Florida, as well as the oldest Spanish restaurant in the United States.?Delicious food and even better company! Our Cincinnati Hub was feeling lucky on Friday the 13th and enjoyed a holiday brunch at First Watch. The 757 Hub (Hampton Roads, VA) had a twinkly evening full of holiday spirit at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. They strolled through the mile long trail of lights with gourmet hot chocolate & churros and had such a fun & festive time together. The Detroit Hub gathered for a Happy Hour at Craft Breww City and held a holidays white elephant gift exchange. The Brkthru team of professionals come to work every day to manage successful digital media campaigns for their clients and with our Hub Hangouts, take time to socialize and spend time together.

Highly Capitalized Network tracked down Brkthru Director of Client Success Ben Coburn recently at the cannabis industry trade show MJ Unpacked in St. Louis to talk about how Brkthru uses digital media on behalf of our clients in the cannabis industry. Recreational use of cannabis is now legal in 24 states and the District of Columbia, and 40 states for medical use, and Brkthru is one of the few media services partners that has deftly maneuvered advertising in this rapidly growing yet highly regulated category. Brkthru was one of dozens of exhibitors at MJ Unpacked, sharing our success with hundreds of attendees during the three-day event. Highly Capitalized Network-HCN is a news and information service for the legal cannabis and psilocybin industries. https://lnkd.in/gXkntax6 If you're an owner, marketer or agency working with a cannabis brand, reach out to start a conversation https://lnkd.in/ejVtYUbu