How Unilever Is Accelerating Digital Commerce Growth With Sports Streaming
In an “everywhere, all at once” shopping environment flooded with brand variety, it can be difficult to capture consumer interest. Therefore, more niche marketing avenues that get directly in front of the consumer, such as live streaming, are gaining traction.
Unilever is investing in this area, particularly live sports marketing, and is already seeing digital commerce growth, powered by data-rich strategies.
Two Unilever executives — Ryu Yokoi, chief digital officer of personal care NA and U.S. media, and Aaron Sobol, head of media investment for the U.S. business — recently shared details with CGT about their success with streaming and live media partnerships.
Shaping Activations With Sophisticated Data
The company has been able to move beyond traditional linear TV with a one-to-all approach to a more precise “one-to-one” or “one-to-some” personalized experience.
They have used retail data with closed-loop measurement off-site to accelerate digital commerce. Additionally, they have been testing innovations in the ad space to drive frictionless commerce and viewing experiences with high engagement for in-the-moment purchasing.
As part of that, the company has been building valuable relationships that move it toward its goals.
As an example, Unilever partnered with a retailer and media network to pilot a program that targeted college football fans with personalized advertisements of their preferred brands so they could purchase products right from their couch.
“Technology is the main driver of our digital capabilities when it comes to our streaming and sports marketing activations,” said Yokoi. “To effectively reach consumers, we leverage self-service ad-tech, like programmatic media buying, as well as new technology that allows for creative optimization and unique asset deployment.”
Ryu Yokoi, Chief Digital Officer of Personal Care NA and U.S. Media
"The sports industry has a uniquely engaged audience, which means there is an opportunity to build deeper and more meaningful connections with them and drive engagement with branded content."
The Benefits of Sports Streaming
The marketing pathway aligns with Unilever’s goals of reaching the right audience with the best message at the right moment, and also gives the company the ability to tap into a viewership that is rapidly growing.
According to LG’s report, “Stadium to Screen: Streaming Live Sports in 2024,” 90% of connected TV (CTV) users in the U.S. engage in watching live sports on television. Additionally, the global online live sports streaming market is expected to skyrocket to $87.33 billion by 2028, according to bannerse.
“Opportunities in this space continue to grow year-over-year and we work very closely with our partners to be a driver in this space to leverage unique digital capabilities for these live moments,” said Sobol.
Sport and live streaming is a space where capabilities are evolving quickly, and it’s important for Unilever to learn and quickly adapt, as well as push the limits with its partners, said Sobol. Since 2020, Unilever has more than tripled sports marketing commitments related to media buying.
- More From Unilever: R&D Ramp-Up With Collaborative Data and AI Centers
Unilever’s Streaming History
The company has pushed products and brands that are a “natural fit” with the world of sports, including its Degree deodorant “to help athletes move with confidence” and its Hellmann’s mayonnaise, which they said is a staple at sporting event tailgates and watch parties.
Investments in streaming reflect 360-degree activations around leagues and games, including the Men's and Women's March Madness tournaments, Thursday Night Football, and the National Women’s Soccer League.
For consumer goods companies interested in exploring the space, Sobol recommends working closely with multiple partners and striking a balance between capitalizing on current opportunities and having the foresight to scale as technologies evolve.
