Football fans breathed a sigh of relief when it was announced that despite the cancelation of the preseason, the NFL would be returning for its regular season. Many adjustments have been made in order to keep players and fans healthy and safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brands and retailers have also adjusted in response:
All in for Fall: Retailers are embracing a longer, fuller fall season. With so much uncertainty around typical fall festivities like game day and Halloween, seasonal messaging now includes other holidays such as Oktoberfest and Thanksgiving.
Bringing the Game Home: With large gatherings and travel on pause, retailers are staying away from hosting thematics. Instead, fall messaging promotes ways to bring the celebration to you. For game day, supermarkets like Hy-Vee and H-E-B are promoting recipe and bundling ideas for at-home tailgates. Pepsi delivered “Tailgate in a Box” to homebound fans missing the classic game day experience. And Babe Wine created a line of candles inspired by the smells of in-person football games and includes scents like “Jockstrap” and “$18 Nachos”.
Breakthrough Brands in the Spotlight: Sponsors Verizon and Microsoft worked together to fill otherwise empty stadium stands with virtual fans. Food delivery service Post-mates made its debut as the NFL’s first official on-demand food delivery sponsor of NFL, a new sponsorship category in 2020. Lowe’s unified homebound fans, reminding us all that “this year, we’re all on the home team.” In-store and on social, Lowe’s reinforces its “home team” campaign with DIY lifestyle inspiration and tools. Snickers is donating proceeds of its “Hungriest Player” campaign to nurses and other frontline workers fighting COVID-19.
With three more months to go in the regular season, there is still opportunity for brands and retailers to rise to the occasion and help consumers make the most of the NFL’s most unique season yet.
Contributed by: Megan McCaslin, Account Planner, Integer Denver
Image Source: Unsplash
