NFL CMO on reaching youth and diverse consumers through philanthropic marketing

Seven years ago, the NFL was “dead last” in brand perception among major sports leagues, NFL Chief Marketing Officer Tim Ellis said on stage at Possible on Monday. But the league has been working to turn that around, not through traditional sports fans, but with greater outreach to women, children and multicultural audiences. Ellis said the key has been finding the breakthrough messaging that matters to these segments: its philanthropic causes. “If you don’t get a fan by the time they’re 18 years old, you’ll never get them—it’s just not really possible,” said Ellis during a panel at the Miami marketing conference, citing internal data points. The “Teaming up as a force for good” session also featured Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis and Artis Stevens, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Rather than chasing after adults who don’t watch football, Ellis said the league’s audience growth lies in youth programs, particularly those aged 5 to 12, as well as getting “casual fans,” those he said watch two to four games a year plus the Super Bowl, to watch more. More from Ad Age “We don’t have an acquisition strategy for a 32-year-old,” said Ellis. Instead, the NFL works directly with young athletes through programs including Big Brothers Big Sisters that provide engagement, mentorship and support programs, and highlight that work with its adult audience to grow brand perception. One way the NFL showcased its outreach work was through its “Somebody” Super Bowl ad. Created with 72andSunny, the spot features real participants of Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Special Olympics and InsideOut reciting Rev. William Holmes Borders’ powerful poem “I Am Somebody.” The spot and the community work it highlighted drove meaningful brand growth for the NFL, tripling perception among non-fans, increasing the belief among casual fans that the league cares about more than football by 71%, and boosting Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor sign-ups by 433% on Super Bowl Sunday compared to the year before, according to league data. The NFL had the lowest fan brand perception among major leagues in 2018 when Ellis took over its marketing, according to a YouGov Brand Index of major sports leagues shared by Ellis. But the NFL has since risen to the top spot through its outreach work, said the CMO, citing YouGov Brand Index data. He added that the NFL contributes half a billion dollars annually to what he calls “causes,” such as Big Brothers Big Sisters. The efforts are also paying off more broadly with the key demographics identified by Ellis as growth groups for the NFL: women, youth and Latinos. From 2020 to 2024, the league has increased its fanbase by 14% among women, 7% among youth and 6% among Latinos. Some of the league’s growing popularity among younger fans, particularly women, can also be tied to the so-called Taylor Swift effect, as many of the pop star’s fans began tuning into NFL games two seasons ago following her romance with star player Travis Kelce.

NFL CMO on reaching youth and diverse consumers through philanthropic marketing

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