Brief:
- StubHub partnered with Dude Perfect, the sports entertainment group that posts videos to YouTube, on a series of social media challenges that offer rewards such as cash and tickets to sports fans. During each week of October — which StubHub dubbed "Sportober" because every major sports league has games — the company will issue challenges that urge fans to post pictures with its company handle on Twitter, per an announcement.
- The "Sportober Challenge" asks fans to post sports-inspired mashup photos, such as wearing hockey gear on a baseball mound, playing golf with badminton rackets or shooting hoops with a football. To inspire fans, Dude Perfect posted a YouTube video that shows a collection of trick shots with baseball bats, footballs and other equipment.
- StubHub is awarding daily prizes and giving one winner a chance to attend an NFL game with Dude Perfect's stars. The runner-up prize is $31 a day for a year — to recognize the 31 days of October sporting events. StubHub is offering 15% discounts on future ticket purchases through its mobile app and will donate $1, up to $100,000, for every contest entry to the "Time's Up Pay Up" campaign this month.
Dive Insight:
StubHub's partnership with Dude Perfect on the "Sportober Challenge" aims to engage sports fans on social media, where many people already express their enthusiasm for teams and players. Dude Perfect has more than 46 million YouTube subscribers, helping StubHub to reach younger viewers who are more likely to consume sports-related content on the video-sharing platform than through traditional TV. The first video in the series had nearly 9 million views as of press time, demonstrating the early success of the campaign.
YouTube has helped to drive a shift toward watching shorter game highlights on mobile devices instead of sitting through full matches, while Twitter touts its popularity among sports fans who want real-time updates or like to share commentary about live events with other fans.
Social media challenges have become more popular among brands like StubHub that are looking to capitalize on younger audiences' mobile video habits. By urging people to participate in challenges, brands can drive viral growth as social media users urge their friends and followers to join in. Instagram, Twitter and TikTok have become the most common platforms for challenges in the past few years. DiGiorno, Busch, JetBlue, Saucony and Skittles this year have run contests that encourage fan participation on Instagram or Twitter, while Walmart, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Uniqlo, Ralph Lauren and the NFL are have created hashtag challenges for TikTok.
