The Audible - Pivoting at the Line

In American football, the audible is defined by “a substitute offensive or defensive play called at the line of scrimmage” (Merriam-Webster). It happens when the team feels it needs to pivot their play or strategy in the last minute to gain an advantage on their opponent.

Peyton Manning, almost certainly to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is perhaps the best-known for calling audibles, which he turned into an art due his ability to quickly recognize and change an approach for the next play.

Given the uncertain circumstances of the COVID-19 crisis, we all need to channel our inner Peyton Manning and quickly pivot how we market to, engage with, and appeal to consumers and fans.

As such, I’m starting a series called “The Audible” to consider how we can all change the play on the metaphorical line of scrimmage and succeed in the current and post coronavirus environment.

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While sports and experiential marketers anxiously wait for live events to return, most of my current day-to-day is spent providing insight to clients and colleagues on mobile-first engagements, digital experiences, and live streaming concepts.

After all, we’re now on our personal devices more than ever.

However, what will the fan experience be like when we finally can go back to the stadium?To help answer this question, my first topic will be centered on contactless engagement.

My obvious prediction is that when we all return, fans and consumers will remain extremely hesitant to touch shared surfaces.

This could be especially challenging for marketers given all the touch points we have at events… Think of all the touch screens we use for event data capture or photo booths; product demos; thousands of taps on concession line keypads; and the mass usage of shared VR headsets.

Here are contactless solutions that can allow brands and marketers to continue to engage with our fans in impactful ways:

The return of the QR code: while QR codes have been around for decades, they haven’t always remained relevant as an “emerging” technology. I argue that QR codes are more useful than ever and can lead to an impactful connection between brand and fan. In my experience, QR codes have proven to be an easy and stable solution in the following ways:

• Tying registration data to a QR code for speedy event check-in
• Quickly opening a mobile experience
• Tracking various consumer touch points at large events such as a PGA tour event or at league fan fest settings  

Leverage voice and AI platforms: as AI and voice software (made “friendly” by Amazon Alexa and Google Home) continues to advance, let’s create intelligent, custom experiences to replace direct human interaction. Here are a couple ways we can leverage voice and AI:

• SMS and chat bots to create authentic and guided brand communication
• Use of voice activations to eliminate the need for handheld devices

Reliance on NFC, RFID, and Bluetooth: device-to-device communication using technologies such as NFC, RFID, and Bluetooth low energy will certainly become a necessity at events. In my career, I have leveraged these technologies in the following ways:

• Contactless tapping to reveal content in experiential settings
• Sharing user generated content from device to device
• Using thresholds or beacons to deliver content or seamlessly collect data

By "calling an audible" and embracing contactless solutions, marketers can continue to have impactful interactions with consumers in the post-COVID-19 world.

If you would like to discuss these topics more, feel free to reach out to me directly!