Global sports agency Lagardère Unlimited has a significant imprint in the sports representation business. It is arguably what it is most known for, at least to the Sports Agent Blog audience. The company was labeled a top-10 agency last summer due in large part to its football division.
At the same time, though, Lagardère has roughly $5 billion of sports and entertainment rights under management.
Through a recent partnership with ASICS America, Lagardère successfully launched the world’s first in-event, real-time television commercial (TVC).
The short clip — which can be viewed here — ran during the ITU World Triathlon Series (WTS) in Chicago about a week ago. The commercial was viewed on Universal Sports Network, and according to Lagardère, it was the first TVC to be broadcast using real-time content captured on location and through social media. In the 15-second spot, viewers witnessed No. 1 women’s triathlete, United States Olympian and ASICS elite athlete, Gwen Jorgensen, as she prepared for the ITU World Triathlon Chicago.
“We think this is an authentic way to elevate the experience of our fans and make them feel connected to Gwen in those final moments of preparation before the event,” said Shannon Scott, ASICS America Director of Marketing Communications. “What excited us about this concept was the ability to build a brand story, involve our fans in the process, while still maintaining enough control to ensure it was uniquely on-brand to ASICS.”
Lagardère saw the transition to real-time broadcasting as a natural move for the agency to showcase its vast array of innovative digital offerings.
“We’ve been working with brands for many years on creative ways to engage with consumers and harness the energy surrounding major televised events,” said Al Silvestri, Senior Vice President of Marketing & New Media, Lagardère Unlimited Consulting. “Now with our Real-Time Broadcast platform brands are able to take this engagement to the next level and tap into consumer passion at the precise moment it’s most relevant – that’s incredibly valuable for marketers.”