As we enter fight week, Multichannel news writes about HBO’s use of digital media to promote the Nov. 13thfight between Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito.
A couple weeks ago, MMA Payout reported on the marketing efforts for the fight at Cowboy Stadium this Saturday. While that report focused on the traditional ways the fight is promoted, the Multichannel article speaks with HBO’s Tammy Ross and details the digital strategy to promote the PPV.
HBO Sports has targeted several non-traditional sports web sites such as male-targeted entertainment site Craveonline.com to generate greater impressions among young audiences, Ross said. Also as part of its digital approach, the network has put fighter interviews, press conferences and other promotional activities on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to keep boxing fans constantly abreast of the events and stories leading up to the bout, which will take place at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Ross stated that HBO has generated “more than 100 million impressions in the digital space, which is comparable to the total of impressions usually generated by fight time.”
It also has reached out to the Hispanic audience:
“…the network has produced all of its promotional video and print content in Spanish instead of just placing Spanish language subtitles over its English-based content. As a result, the network has been able to generate greater fight awareness through Hispanic-targeted media such as AOL Latino, ESPN Deportes, Fox Sports and Espanol, as well as with cable operators who are looking for Spanish language interstitials for their targeted digital services.”
It once again has partnered with Tecate to offer $25 off the HBO PPV with the purchase of a 12 pack of Tecate.
Not only is HBO reaching out through social media and targeting key demographics, it is also visible in mainstream media:
While HBO has used digital media to reach targeted audiences, it has run fight spots in several CBS and Fox National Football League telecasts over the past three Sundays — as well as a financial news-targeted like CNBC and Fox Business Network – to reach mainstream viewers.
On Monday, ESPN reported that Pacquiao (a devoted basketball fan) and Miami Heat Head Coach, Erik Spoelstra (who is part Filipino) will conduct basketball clinics in the Philippines next summer. Realistically, the ESPN news item is a non-story but for the fact that it is fight week and it is Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao also made appearances on television. Pacquiao was featured in this past week’s 60 minutes. In addition, he made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel where Pacquiao sang a duet with funnyman Will Ferrell. Basketball is one of Pacquiao’s passions, it is obvious from the video that karaoke is another.
Payout Perspective:
The full court press is on this week to sell the PPV. It is interesting to see the creative approach HBO has taken in promoting this fight while sticking with traditional forms of marketing. Its use of facebook and twitter do not seem the most innovative to the social media sophisticated, but it is an active way to reach out to a younger demographic.
Interesting. I also wonder if younger MMA fans would take to boxing? As their knowledge of multi-fight discipline grows, some may start to follow the sweat science as well.
Lot’s of talk that Pacquiao has not had a good training camp. I wonder how much of that is hype to sell the fight as more competitive or how much is true. A Margarito win could swing some of that momentum Cain got a few weeks back with Mexican fans back towards boxing.
A Margarito win doesn’t mean Cain loses any attention.
its very possible that a lot of mma fans would tune it to exciting boxing fights….im in my early thirties and i was a fan of mma when it was still called NHB….from ufc 1 to 10 and all the tourneys…tank abott,royce gracie,shamrock,maurice smith etc…. etc…i was a ufc fan first and foremost and trained in boxing wrestling,muay thai bjj…but then i go hooked with boxing…and got involved in the boxing business as well…what i found out was…when you put in a good match(fair matchmaking) boxing fight with exciting fighters….it was really goooood…..the problem is that boxing pays tons of money to fighters..and in turn made fighters not want tor risk and made promoters also not want to risk…resulting in lopsided matches and boring fights…but take all the b.s. and its a great sport…
try watching hagler vs hearns…haggler vs duran…aaron prayor vs arguello..pacman vs morales 2…..corales vs castillio…
so its very possible that younger guys who grew up in mma and likes the aggresivness and violence of it..would enjoy this saturdays fight between pacman and margarito…both exciting—bell to bell fighters….and be fans of both sport-
Im a fight fan grew up watching boxing saw ufc 1 and was hooked like mma better than boxing becuase of all areas were the fights go and its faster paced most of the time