My Role
- Brand Integration
- Retail Performance
- Storytelling
Client
- Columbus Crew SC
- Nationwide
The Challenge
The primary goal was to successfully launch a multi-year partnership with Nationwide and debut the inaugural primary uniform kit simultaneously.
This required generating maximum fan excitement and media coverage while ensuring a direct, measurable conversion path from announcement to immediate uniform sales and Nationwide brand affinity among the fanbase. The challenge was managing the simultaneous demands of two major brands and driving time-sensitive e-commerce sales.
My Role
I executed the entire omnichannel digital marketing campaign independently, managing strategy, content creation, social deployment, and performance analysis across all platforms.
- Integrated Partnership Storytelling: I designed a content narrative that seamlessly introduced the Nationwide partnership through the lens of community and shared local values, making the sponsor feel like an authentic extension of the club, rather than just an advertiser.
- Sequential Reveal Campaign: I managed a five-day “Kit Drop Countdown” across Instagram, X, and TikTok, using highly stylized, short-form video teasers that built anticipation and culminated in the final e-commerce launch, complete with limited-time incentives.
- Direct E-commerce Conversion: I implemented tracking pixels and optimized social shop integrations directly into the reveal content. I also managed the ad spend for retargeting fans who viewed the launch video but did not complete a purchase within the first 24 hours.
Impact & Results
The campaign successfully leveraged fan passion to drive immediate record-breaking sales and significantly boost sponsor visibility.
- Record Sales Performance: The integrated digital strategy drove a 155% increase in online uniform sales within the first 48 hours of launch compared to the previous year’s kit debut, setting a new club record for merchandise volume.
- Sponsor Affinity Boost: Post-campaign surveys showed a 25% jump in positive brand association for Nationwide among self-identified Crew fans, demonstrating success in authentically integrating the partnership story.
- Exceptional Organic Reach: The sequential reveal content strategy achieved a combined 1.5 million organic video views and generated over 5,000 unique comments/shares across platforms, proving the content’s inherent viral appeal.
- Efficient Retargeting ROI: The ad spend optimization on retargeting non-converters delivered an impressive 8:1 Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) in the critical launch week, demonstrating highly efficient conversion funnels.