Brief:

• NFL Network is promoting its Thursday Night Football primetime matchup and other games with a campaign featuring JibJab Camera, a new mobile app that helps people make funny photos and videos with personalized stickers, according to a press release by JibJab. JibJab lets fans create personalized National Football League avatars with selfies and a library of custom content to add flair.
• The app's NFL content kicks off ahead of Sept. 14's match between the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals. Each week, new content will be promoted and made available on the app 24 hours before kickoff. Fans can share their JibJab creations by directly posting to Snapchat or Instagram.
• JibJab, which is mostly known for its satirical videos of politicians and electronic cards that can be personalized with selfies, said its camera app is free and available globally on iOS.

Insight:

In an attempt to deepen engagement with football fans both at games and at home, NFL teams and the organization as a whole are enlisting mobile technology in new ways this season via Snapchat, augmented reality, original programming on social media and real-time in-stadium engagement, among other approaches. 

NFL wants to avoid another season of declining TV ratings following a year filled with Olympics coverage, an embittering presidential election and controversies with players who were outspoken about police brutality. There's a lot at stake because of football's unmatched ability to reach mass audiences, particularly with major annual events like the Super Bowl that reel in millions of viewers.

With JibJab Camera, the NFL can take another step toward making football fun and innovative. JibJab's app is another way to engage fans with their favorite teams and players, and to let them express their support among friends, family and other fans. The camera app can also help appeal to younger viewers who are shunning TV while spending more time with mobile apps and social media.

Snapchat and Instagram users, in particular, are familiar with app features to add filters, masks, text, emojis and stickers to photos and videos they share online. JibJab Camera's features are readily understood by young adults and teens who are immersed in mobile media, a key audience the NFL is trying to attract.