MECHANICSBURG, Pennsylvania., January 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Universal Sports and Entertainment (USE), a division of Universal Media Inc., launched in 2022 to unlock new opportunities for businesses, brands and businesses to maximize experiential marketing campaigns backed by value, attribution and impact. Celebrating its second year, USE has quickly become a sports and entertainment resource for growing organizations including National Fitness Partners/Planet Fitness, Members 1st Federal Credit Union and Penn State Athletics.
Universal Sports & Entertainment (USE), a division of Universal Media Inc.
President and CEO of UMI Anne Carnathan appointed Nick Mickey as vice president of integrated media and marketing partnerships to lead the new division. A media veteran who spent the last 17 years as an iHeart Media executive, Mickley is driven by measurable impact on audience and consumer engagement.
“Sports and entertainment marketing must go beyond putting up signs in stadiums or putting names on arenas. We build campaigns that show how to connect your consumer to your brand in a way that creates interest, engagement and interaction. Consumers and fans want to be “engaged.” with” and not “marketed for” – especially with immersive sports and entertainment technologies. And when fans believe you have their best interests at heart, your brand is invited to form a long-term personal relationship that transcends a single concert, event or game,” says Mickley.
“At National Fitness Partners/Planet Fitness, we enjoy participating in sponsorships to expand our brand presence and grow our member base,” says Christine Smith, Marketing Director. “We did not have the tools internally to properly assess the true media value of our current partnerships or to evaluate new opportunities. Working with USE gave us the ability to have a third party evaluate current partnerships and negotiated several new ones, while maintaining the partner relationships we value. The USE team has helped us save time and money and has become an extension of our internal marketing team as we strive to make Planet Fitness a judgment-free zone accessible to all.
Developing effective attribution models to maximize sponsorships is what sets USE apart from traditional media marketing. Creating opportunities for new partnerships and sponsorships in sports and entertainment, Mickley develops and negotiates on behalf of clients a growing list of partnerships with brands such as Penn State Athletics, LAFC, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia Eagles , Cleveland Goaliesand Live Nation Entertainment. Additionally, Mickley and his team are highly engaged in the NIL (Name Image Likeness) space and work collaboratively with Happy Valley United to develop and scale NIL partnerships.
Amplifying brand exposure, brand association and business relationships, USE adds a powerful fourth element that ties technology together: community engagement. “Understanding how your brand can support fans or consumers as they leave an arena, and creating an overall campaign that has a real impact on their communities, is where we use our proprietary data to turn marketing dollars into investments meaningful communities,” explains Mickley.
“Millions of sponsorship deals and influencer campaigns are launched each year, and we bring fresh eyes and audits to existing engagements while foreseeing new opportunities to engage consumers and drive business growth. Instead of a signed-and-forgotten sponsorship pledge, we create a campaign that connects the business and consumer in an experience that changes purchasing decisions. We take a mandatory golf sponsorship, or once-a-decade stadium name, and unleash a campaign that combines influencers, endorsements, live media placements and sales. -through a one-of-a-kind campaign that builds on top of your standard sponsorship deal,” says Carnathan.
“We built this division around data,” says Mickley. “Every CEO and marketer is asking, 'What's in it for us through platform and activation?' » We have three decades of experience in the fundamentals of broadcast, print, outdoor and multimedia and have added a digital media research arm and placement department. A comprehensive campaign can include digital signage, on-field signage, stadium signage, influencer campaigns, and brand awareness integrated into live sporting and entertainment events. The most important result is a significant ROI for the customer and a memorable ROI for the concert goer and sports fan.
For more information about Universal Sports & Entertainment or to schedule a sponsorship package review, contact Nick Mickeyvice president, integrated media and marketing partnerships.
ABOUT UNIVERSAL MEDIA INC.
Universal Media Inc. (UMI) was founded in 1986 by three advertising professionals, creating one of the largest and fastest-growing independent strategic media placement companies in the United States. The Universal Sports & Entertainment (USE) division was founded in 2022 and is a national sports and entertainment experiential marketing resource. Specializing in strategic planning, research and media buying, family-owned UMI offers a comprehensive suite of integrated planning, placement and reporting services for all forms of paid media. Their meticulously executed data-driven campaigns deliver real results to clients. They know the industry and, more importantly, they know how to get the most out of your advertising budget.
Connect with UMI at umiusa.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedInand the world ranking Courage and gravity Podcast—co-hosted by UMI President and CEO Anne Carnathanor call 717.795.7990.
SOURCE Universal Media Inc.