Acura cancels March Madness push featuring real-time ad edits

UPDATE: March 17, 2020: Acura nixed its campaign around March Madness, which was previously canceled by the NCAA, according to a spokesperson.

Dive Brief:

Acura is launching a new campaign for March Madness called the "Less Talk Sports Network" to support its broader "Less Talk, More Drive" brand platform, per a company press release.
ESPN basketball analyst Jay Williams and comedian Seaton Smith will host the show in these new spots. The actors will give pre- and post-game analysis in 30 seconds with as few words as possible.
The ads will run on sports sites including ESPN and Turner Sports, as well as across social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, Reddit and Giphy. Acura will update the creative in real-time within the brand's homepage takeovers on ESPN, based on results of the games. On social media, the brand will release real-time game reactions that fans can share as GIFs.

Dive Insight:

Acura is updating its latest brand messaging of "Less Talk, More Drive" with a March Madness angle by enlisting two celebrities who are known for talking, challenging them to cut the sports fluff in humorous ways. The campaign stars popular ESPN basketball analyst Jay Williams and comedian Seaton Smith in a bid to create entertaining content that's designed for sharing throughout the tournament. The brand plans to update the creative in real time based on the outcomes of the games, which will keep the ad content relevant and timely to the basketball tournament.

The design of the "Less Talk Sports Network" spots is rife with comedy about the basketball tournament, aiming to engage and humor the target audience of sports fans tuning in to the games. Acura is positioning itself as a topic of conversation with real-time ad updates and shareable GIFs that may extend the campaign's reach throughout the weeks-long tournament.

Acura's broader "Less Talk, More Drive" platform has previously targeted younger drivers who may favor sportier cars and have shifted their media consumption habits. Many consumers now watch sports on TV while second-screening on a mobile device, where they can tune in to related online content and chat with fellow sports fans on social media during live games.

The car maker kicked off the broader campaign last fall during the NFL's regular season games. The multichannel effort ran on network cable and national broadcast TV, including in mid-game spots, top-rated programming and fall show premieres on streaming video platforms. Additionally, the ads ran on digital media platforms Donut Media, PadSquad and Teads, as well as on Amazon, Bustle, ESPN and Thrillist.