The Sacramento Kings were named Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Company in Sports,” and it’s no wonder. The team is constantly pushing the boundaries to give fans a fresh and unique experience.
Rather than just covering the games on social media, they share behind the scenes photography to tell a story about the team. They go beyond typical storytelling methods and experiment with 360-degree video and AR. And, they use cutting-edge technology give fans personalized attention.
In our latest on-demand webinar, Kings Creative Director Ryan Brijs takes you behind the scenes and shares tips and tricks you don’t want to miss.
Watch the video now and get a preview of some of his tips below.
6 Innovative Tips to Steal from the Sacramento Kings
Tip #1: Connect with your social media team, find out what type of content really moves the dial
Ryan and the Kings Creative team work closely with their teammates in social media to find out what resonates with fans. When they look at the data, the social media team can see that photos that show emotion and give fans a behind the scenes perspective get more likes and shares.
Tip #2: Streamline your photo editing workflow by using a predetermined color preset(s)
The Kings use a real-time photo workflow to send photos out to social media during games. They use predetermined color presets to cut out steps and speed up their photo editing.
Tip #3: For better results on media day, have a plan, moodboards, etc, communicate with the players, let them know how the shots will be used and be confident
When you have a limited amount of time at an event like media day, it’s important to prepare as much as possible beforehand. Ryan recommends looping the players into your plan. If the players understand your vision and how the photos will help them build their personal brands, they will be more willing to help you get the shots you need.
Tip #4: Use photography as an opportunity to give fans access to something they otherwise wouldn’t see
When you’re building a new arena, you may not be able to take all your fans on a behind the scenes tour of the construction site. But when the Kings were building the Golden 1 Center, they shared regular photo updates of their progress on social media, and even let fans check in on a live video feed.
Tip #5: Use digital asset management to help build relationships with fans and strengthen connections with departments within your org
The Kings use digital asset management to move content quickly to a wide range of partners, including their season ticket holders. After an event, they send VIP guests photos of them and their favorite players – an incredible surprise and delight for their biggest fans.
Tip #6: Look for opportunities to go beyond typical storytelling to give fans a more immersive experience
The Kings had a photo shoot to capture their new uniforms, but they went one step further by shooting a 360-degree video of the shoot. They gave fans an insider’s look at how they create their content. The following year, they pushed the envelope again, adding an AR component in their team’s app.
Get More Tips from the Sacramento Kings
Watch the video now to check out cutting-edge Kings campaigns, get more tips from Ryan Brijs and hear him answer questions about workflow, video storytelling, VR and more!
Up Next
Get more great content on visual storytelling in sports:
- Case Study: The ROI of the Sacramento Kings’ Cloud-Based Visual Media Library
- The Visual Storytelling Guide for Sports Marketers
- Video: How Super Bowl XLVII Made the Baltimore Ravens’ Visual Storytelling Workflow More Efficient
- A Step by Step Look at the Colorado Rockies Real-Time Social Media Workflow
- Video: 3 DAM Questions for Pro Sports Creative Teams
Cover photo courtesy of the Sacramento Kings.
