Fans, Communities & Culture: advertising beyond the game

SPEAKER_1 (0:01)

Welcome to the IAB UK Podcast.

James Chandler (0:07)

Hello, James Chandler here, and welcome to the IAB UK Podcast. This is the first episode in our Summer Sport Two-Parter, where we're exploring how major sporting events are evolving beyond the game itself, becoming moments shaped by communities, creators, culture, and conversation. So all the seas basically. Today, we're looking at how fans engage with the World Cup and other sporting events across platforms, group chats, and online communities. What makes certain moments travel far beyond sport and how brands are trying to understand not just what audiences are watching, but what they're thinking and what they're feeling. Joining me today to unpack how modern fandom is changing is Matt Eschert, Head of Industry at Reddit, Imogen Blackwood, Business Director at Publicis Sport, and GumGum's Director of Solutions Marketing and Enablement, Paul Lowery. Let's get into it.

Paul, massive, massive World Cup this year. And I mean like genuinely big, more teams than ever before. We've got a round of 32, which is a little bit different. We've got all sorts of kickoff times happening through the night. It's an interesting one to navigate this one. Are you enjoying it so far?

Paul Lowrey (1:17)

Thoroughly enjoying what I've seen thus far. I was fortunate enough to be in the States last week and went to see the US in situ at a fan park because it's so expensive. The atmosphere, I've got to say, was actually phenomenal. But to your point, I think the thing that's taken me by surprise over the last week or so, it's quite obviously early days in terms of the tournament, is it seems to be growing in momentum at the moment.

Interesting about how the consumption of World Cup content, be it matches or highlights or other things, has been transformed slightly, should we say, because of the differences in time zones. Obviously, we're recording this now, Messi scored a hat-trick 2am last night, and understanding how people are engaging with that content when they're not watching it live, obviously, as the way we are used to.

James Chandler (2:05)

You're going to be our resident US fan here, Matt. How is it catching on in the US? I mean, Paul's sort of giving us a little flavor about some of the fan parts. You had to get the basketball out of the way first, but now we're full on with World Cup and football.

Matt Eschert (2:18)

Yeah, first that World Championship and now the World Cup. It's really an exciting time for the States, coming out of the Knicks win. Way to go, Knicks. Yeah, it's an interesting World Cup, right? Because it's for the global population, we're catching it a bit async, right? And so those live moments in match, those live moments in the group chat during the match, now we're catching up the morning after, asynchronous in online communities, on platforms and conversations. So it's a bit of a unique one. It's an exciting one for the States, and I was very excited to watch that game, which I think took everyone by surprise.

James Chandler (2:50)

I think they're going to do well. Hydration breaks, you should clear that one up for us before we get into it. This isn't some sort of force-feeding of scams that are in halves into quarters at all. This is, it's very hot. These players need to drink some water.

Matt Eschert (3:01)

Yeah, I'm not sure I can comment on that. It is a unique one for the World Cup.

James Chandler (3:06)

Give us a take of your experience with the World Cup so far. This one does feel a bit different to ones that have gone before.

Imogen Blackwood (3:13)

Yeah, I mean, the time zone alone means that people's experiences are very different. But I do feel like it's feeling quite positive. I think before, there was a little bit of negative sentiment, but now I think people are really starting to enjoy it. So, yeah, I mean, I'm enjoying it, seeing the family watch it, seeing the team internally as well, do all the competitions internally, it's bringing people together.

James Chandler (3:34)

Who did you get in the sweepstake?

Imogen Blackwood (3:36)

I didn't do the sweepstake.

James Chandler (3:38)

Opted out of the sweepstake.

Imogen Blackwood (3:39)

I mean, I want to, you know, observe and support everybody. So, yeah, but seeing people want to get involved, seeing, you know, the office be decorated, it's nice, you know, it's bringing people together, it's positive.

Paul Lowrey (3:51)

I agree with you, Imogen. I was talking to a friend of mine about this the other day, was that almost like liking the World Cup this time round to buying a house.