Branded entertainment is thriving in the United States. Customers, potential customers and target audiences have countless platforms and screens for consuming content and those platforms are almost all now offering their services to produce branded content as parts of robust client services plans that include both content creation and distribution. It takes a lot to stand out, and We Could Be King proves that authenticity is the key to breaking through the noise. We Could Be King is a film first, and branded content second.

Audiences were drawn to the content through a combination of owned, paid and earned media:

Owned:

SportsMatter.com, DicksSportingGoods.com & the film festival website

Email: Campaign to ScoreCard Members and the film festival newsletter

Social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, including 340+ celebrities, athletes, and other influencers who engaged or shared about Sports Matter pro bono

In-Store: Signage & DVD sales

Earned:

National: Rachael Ray, NPR, Forbes, Stack Media, Google Ad Grants, Variety, NY & LA Times film reviews

Paid:

Social: Including customized FB newsfeed ads for each team targeted to sports enthusiasts in their community.

Events: SxSW Launch Party and Film Festival Documentary Movie Premiere

According to DSG’s Q3 Brand Tracker, when it comes to the Sports Matter campaign, Dick’s significantly surpasses competitors in being seen as a store that believes participation in sports in important, and in being involved with/supporting the local sports community. The film has had a presence in more than 50 million homes and garnered a Sports Emmy nomination for Outstanding Documentary Film. The film was so successful that Dick’s Sporting Goods have partnered with us for second Sports Matter feature documentary.

Most importantly, however, We Could Be King helped the Sports Matter campaign exceed it’s fundraising goals.

-100% of 184 participating teams reached their fundraising goal and earned a matching grant from The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation.

-The Foundation’s $2 Million in grants leveraged an additional $2.6 Million, including over $100,000 from DSG vendors. The $4.6 Million in total funding for participating youth sport teams far exceeded the original goal of $4 Million.

-Over 550,000 individual donors (5,000+ online; 545,000 in-store)