Social Media Development and Sponsorship Groundwork for a Professional Athlete
Reunanen, Heidi Beata (2020)
2020
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020121829624
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020121829624
Tiivistelmä
The objectives of this thesis were to establish the personalized social media beginner's plan as well as create the sponsorship groundwork plan for an athlete. The purpose of these plans is to have flexible structures to meet the needs of the athlete also later in their career. The beneficiary of this thesis is an international soccer player, currently playing in the Finnish Veikkausliiga, and is referred to as “Athlete X”. Both the social media and the sponsorship plan will be implemented together with the writer of this thesis and Athlete X. The desire to gain more visibility in the social media and implement personal sponsorship groundwork is based on the wants and needs of Athlete X.
The development task began on establishing the professional athlete's brand further through influencer marketing as well as scanning both suitable and practical sponsors for Athlete X. To keep in mind, as their career develops, so do both of these plans. The personalized sponsorship and social media plans are to be established profoundly and professionally for the first time, especially to the main digital platforms. This builds a solid groundwork for all the upcoming changes and adjustments, whether it is a new media platform in use or a new sponsorship contract with a new organization.
Theoretical framework of this thesis is twofold. First, the special features of sports marketing are introduced, and after, the focus is on influencer marketing, digitalization and social media strategy. Moreover, Athlete X's SWOT-analysis is examined, and the most suitable digital media platforms are proposed. Second, this thesis puts emphasis on the sponsorship grounds and the opportunities that come with it. Some successful examples from the sports industry are introduced and benchmarked in the means to find resemblance to Athlete X. Budgeting decisions are excluded from this thesis for practical reasons.
Eventually, the last part and the objectives of this thesis are introduced: the actual presentation of the chosen social media strategy and the personalized suggestion of the potential sponsors, that would be the best fit for Athlete X. The objectives were reached and the benefits for Athlete X will be actualized after implementing both of the plans during the next season in 2021.
The development task began on establishing the professional athlete's brand further through influencer marketing as well as scanning both suitable and practical sponsors for Athlete X. To keep in mind, as their career develops, so do both of these plans. The personalized sponsorship and social media plans are to be established profoundly and professionally for the first time, especially to the main digital platforms. This builds a solid groundwork for all the upcoming changes and adjustments, whether it is a new media platform in use or a new sponsorship contract with a new organization.
Theoretical framework of this thesis is twofold. First, the special features of sports marketing are introduced, and after, the focus is on influencer marketing, digitalization and social media strategy. Moreover, Athlete X's SWOT-analysis is examined, and the most suitable digital media platforms are proposed. Second, this thesis puts emphasis on the sponsorship grounds and the opportunities that come with it. Some successful examples from the sports industry are introduced and benchmarked in the means to find resemblance to Athlete X. Budgeting decisions are excluded from this thesis for practical reasons.
Eventually, the last part and the objectives of this thesis are introduced: the actual presentation of the chosen social media strategy and the personalized suggestion of the potential sponsors, that would be the best fit for Athlete X. The objectives were reached and the benefits for Athlete X will be actualized after implementing both of the plans during the next season in 2021.