Sky Sports to put content from fans in TV ad for the first time in Ashes cricket push
Sky Sports is asking fans to provide content for its TV advertising for the first time as part of the build-up to its coverage of the Ashes matches between England and Australia this summer.
Fans can compete to get their images and videos in the broadcaster’s ads over the coming weeks using the #MyAshesSummer hashtag. The images will run alongside footage of some of the most memorable moments from the Ashes in the ads.
It marks a step change to the company’s previous promotions for the Ashes, which have tended to be more in line with the rest of its advertising and consequently talked up certain aspects such as high-definition in 2010.
Sky wants the latest ads, which will be updated with content after each test, to capture the buzz. So much so that it will incorporate content uploaded to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Vine as long as it is flagged with the campaign hashtag. That could be selfies from the ground or tweets from fans in the pub with friends and family; the idea is to get people talking about the event and consequently pull more eyeballs to Sky.
Fans can also see their posts flash up on screen during the broadcaster’s coverage of the test series on Sky Sports Ashes and Sky News. A landing page with a media wall has also been created to surface even more user-generated-content during the event.
Catherine Parsons, head of sports marketing, said: “The Ashes is the pinnacle of cricket for English and Australian cricketers and for fans, no other competition matters more.
“It will bring us all together and our Sky Sports campaign is about capturing that mood of the nation through selfies, tweets, Instagram videos and status updates. By using #MyAshesSummer, viewers have the chance to be part of the great summer of sporting drama and show the nation why an Ashes summer is like no other.”