The Audible? - Pivoting at the Line

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.

No alt text provided for this image

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.

-- --

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!


Jay Sprouse

Seasoned sales professional with 16 years of experience in driving revenue growth. Proven track record in advising and supporting start-ups. Passionate about entrepreneurship, music, and the power of positive leadership.

4 年

Nice Adam! https://www.simplebooth.com/blog/touchless-photo-booth/ We got you covered on the touchless photo booth. :)

Sami Rosnov

COO at Corner Market Communications

4 年

Amazing!

Chynna Morgan

CEO, Founder at Vidlo- Get Video Testimonials and Content from your Customer Easily.

4 年

Great read! Thanks for sharing, Adam Polansky

Sebastian Oddo

Dad3, Mentor, Author, TEDx, Mastercard, ??-?

4 年

Great job Adam! Can’t wait for the next one! #digitalmarketing / #sportsmarketing

Drew Church

Founder, Solid Marketing Group, Black Owned Marketing Agency, marketing, experiential, Talent, influencers, Partnerships

4 年

Great Article!

要查看或添加评论,请登录

Adam Polansky的更多文章

  • The Struggle is Real

    The Struggle is Real

    May is "Mental Health Awareness Month"; an opportunity for us to focus on wellness, challenge stigmas around mental…

    12 条评论
  • What is unity?

    What is unity?

    "Unity" seems to be one of those words that has tremendous value, but lately seems to be overused. This leads me to ask.

    2 条评论
  • The Audible - Pivoting at the Line, The Finale

    The Audible - Pivoting at the Line, The Finale

    This year has been quite the blur. If you're like me, you've looked at your calendar each morning expecting it to be…

    4 条评论
  • Support Each Other

    Support Each Other

    Without a doubt, these are turbulent times. Health and safety crises, racial injustice, and an extremely polarizing…

    4 条评论
  • The Audible - Pivoting at the Line, Pt. 5

    The Audible - Pivoting at the Line, Pt. 5

    Even with virus cases surging in certain areas of the country, there's certainly a sense of optimism we can still have.…

    4 条评论
  • The Audible - Pivoting at the Line, Pt. 4

    The Audible - Pivoting at the Line, Pt. 4

    It's truly hard to put into words how challenging the last three months, three weeks, three days..

    3 条评论
  • The Audible - Pivoting at the Line, Pt. 3

    The Audible - Pivoting at the Line, Pt. 3

    Growing up, most, if not all, sports fans dreamt of becoming a sports hero. We recreated championship moments on the…

    4 条评论
  • The Audible - Pivoting at the Line, Pt. 2

    The Audible - Pivoting at the Line, Pt. 2

    If you pay close attention while watching an NFL game, you’ll certainly be able to hear the quarterback calling an…

    4 条评论

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了