Strategy | Nov 6, 2015
Tech giant increases use of sponsorship to demonstrate technology in action.
Case Study: Microsoft and the PGA Tour
With golf returning to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Microsoft Corp. will use its new three-year partnership with the PGA Tour as a global marketing platform. more...
At A Glance: Microsoft
Estimated 2014 global sponsorship spend: $100M-$105M
Since partnering with the Lotus F1 Team in 2012, Microsoft Corp. has added some of the world’s largest and most revered sports properties to its sponsorship portfolio including NASCAR, the NCAA, Real Madrid C.F., the National Football League and, most recently, the PGA Tour.
The goal of the campaign: showcase how its technology improves business productivity and enhances the fan experience.
Similar to how SAP and other technology companies use sponsorship, Microsoft looks to achieve that objective through technology collaborations that improve operational efficiencies and provide a narrative for field sellers when calling on prospects.
IEG SR spoke with Jason Campbell, Microsoft director of marketing, windows and devices group, about the thinking behind the sponsorship strategy, how the popularity of fantasy sports is driving demand for real-time data, and other topics.
Below are edited excerpts from the conversation.
On leveraging fan passion to promote new technology Our sponsorship strategy comes down to passionate fans. The NASCAR fan base is hyper passionate about Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and other drivers. They’re passionate to the point of obsession.
We’re trying to create fans of our technology. Windows has 1.5 billion users, but aligning with strategic sports properties allows us to tie fan passion and engagement to technology. We want to use technology to create stickiness by providing a better experience in the way fans consume sports.
We’re focused on showing how our technology allows sports teams and leagues to be more productive on the operational side, and ultimately tie that back to what fans want: real-time information.
Fans are hungry for real-time information with the introduction of fantasy sports. Using our technology to give fans what they want is a win for everyone.
On helping NASCAR improve productivity Last year we introduced a mobile inspection solution for NASCAR. We helped NASCAR transition to a mobile inspection solution from a paper-based process. We’re working with NASCAR to extend that data to fans.
That’s a great story of how NASCAR is using our technology, and something that our field sellers share with their prospects.
Pretty much every industry has some sort of manual process, and we can make a real impact to improve work flow. NASCAR inspections were a five hour process, and we cut that by half. That helps free up officials for more critical work at the track.
Our sellers share that case study with companies in the retail, manufacturing, oil and gas, and the financial services industries to show how we can help streamline manual or potentially antiquated business processes.
SourcesMicrosoft Corp., Tel: 425/882-8080
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Sidebar
November 9, 2015:
With golf returning to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Microsoft Corp. will use its new three-year partnership with the PGA Tour as a global marketing platform.
The technology giant will leverage the tie by mining the PGA Tour’s video library and historical statistics to provide data-driven insights for fans, players and broadcasters across PGA Tour platforms.
While Microsoft uses the majority of its sponsorships to showcase hero products (NASCAR and Windows 10, NFL and Xbox and Surface tablets, etc.), the company will use the PGA Tour to promote multiple products under a technology solutions umbrella.
“The PGA Tour draws an affluent, business decision-maker oriented audience that is receptive to our solution offerings,” said Jason Campbell, Microsoft director of marketing, windows and devices group.
“Microsoft’s differentiator is our best-in-class products, and they’re a powerful solution when applied together. Windows 10 and Microsoft Azure will enable the PGA Tour to capture data, run analytics and render that information to fans and players.”
The partnership will help the PGA Tour better connect with fans, said Norb Gambuzza, PGA Tour senior vice president of media business development.
“The time, energy and funding that is committed to the collaboration will help us elevate our game in how we present content to fans.”
The partnership took roughly three years to put together, said Gambuzza, noting that conversations started as a content play.
“Microsoft was initially interested in distributing PGA Tour content. Several months into it, it became apparent there was an opportunity for a larger partnership, not just a distribution deal.”
Microsoft plans to activate the partnership via PGA Tour media and digital inventory as well as B2B and BC2 activation programs at tournaments. The company also will develop apps for Microsoft devices and platforms across Windows 10, Surface tablets and Lumia phones.
Microsoft engineers and development teams will visit PGA Tour headquarters later this month to work on technology integration, said Gambuzza.
“They’ve already built out a milestone schedule that we’ll operate under over the next 12 to 18 months.”
The sponsorship gives Microsoft status as the official operating system, official analytics partner and official office productivity software of the PGA Tour and Champions Tour.
Sources Microsoft Corp., Tel: 425/882-8080 PGA Tour, Tel: 904/285-3700
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