We’re again with one other installment of the Put up Efficiency Report (PPR)—a collection the place we compile and analyze social media posts and campaigns inspiring us, and break down what makes them so genius. We don’t simply study the flawless inventive execution of each submit or marketing campaign, however the enterprise influence, too.
This time, we’re spotlighting manufacturers who actually have their head within the sport. In case you missed it, sports activities advertising is having a second on social. From skilled and college sports activities groups to chic use of athletes-turned-influencers, to the model crossovers we by no means noticed coming.
Listed here are a few of the manufacturers in our “corridor of fame.” Take a cue from their playbooks to be able to faucet into your individual GOAT mentality.
The Dallas Wings deliver slam-dunk model
American skilled basketball staff the Dallas Wings have been the speak of the WNBA since they landed former faculty star Paige Bueckers. Bueckers is a Gen Z icon, and has been the protagonist of editorial spreads for publications like GQ and Vogue.
To reap the benefits of the newfound buzz surrounding their franchise, the Wings’ social staff is giving followers what they need: extra trend. As a result of, sure, gamers can like to put on internet-breaking designer pregame outfits and nonetheless be taken significantly as a number one candidate for Rookie of the Yr.
Walkout movies like this Reel enable followers to see one other aspect of their favourite gamers—giving each lady on the courtroom an opportunity to showcase their signature model. Racking up practically 35,000 likes and numerous hyped fan feedback, this submit is a transparent winner on social.
The social staff even created this meme impressed by the Intercourse and the Metropolis collection to have a good time the gamers’ sharp model and up to date victory. Win or lose, you possibly can rely on these ballers to look good.
The play: The Wings’ social staff noticed their second and took it. With all eyes on Bueckers, they performed into her standing as an influencer and web superstar whereas discovering a option to incorporate the remainder of the staff. Pregame walkouts aren’t new, however they’re a format that continues to carry out.
Jellycat served up pure cuteness
UK-based plush toy model Jellycat has change into an web darling. Within the final yr, searches for Jellycats have ballooned 95%, largely pushed by TikTok and social buzz surrounding plushies like Bashful Bunny, the Sky Dragon and Bartholomew Bear.
Jellycat’s recognition has been bolstered by their social staff’s means to insert the model into cultural moments. Take their latest social marketing campaign tied to the Wimbledon match.
Within the model’s TikTok video, you possibly can see a bleacher filled with Jellycats intently watching an intense tennis match (the winner, Bashful Bunny, is the most-searched of all their merchandise). The cease movement animation was particularly spectacular to followers on-line, with some mentioning a doable connection between the scene and the same one within the fashionable movie, Challengers.
One other cease movement video confirmed Bartholomew Bear serving up cuddles with the model’s new tennis ball toy, a lot to the delight of the bleacher filled with stuffed onlookers.
The play: Is it doable to look at Jellycat’s social video with out audibly saying “awww”? The cease movement movies pull on the coronary heart strings, and even encourage followers to duplicate their model (like this journey and this birthday jig). It’s particularly poignant how they weave collectively their signature animation with key cultural moments like Wimbledon—with out ever mentioning the match by identify (authorized limitations we’re all intimately conversant in).
Jellycat’s social technique is a wonderful instance of what can occur while you create your individual cultural moments fairly than chase each pattern.
The LA Kings’ slapstick schedule drop
American ice hockey staff the LA Kings had been a number one pressure in popularizing the game on the West Coast. Since then, they’ve come a good distance. The staff has counted a few of the NHL’s most well-known gamers amongst their roster, and took dwelling the Stanley Cup twice.
However the staff doesn’t fall again on their legacy on social. As a substitute, they experiment with creator-led storytelling. Like of their schedule announcement video. A far cry from the easy schedule drops fashionable on social, the Kings’ social staff partnered with the Empty Netters podcast crew. Within the video, the podcasters fake to not know something about hockey or the league, whereas taking focused photographs at particular groups and divisions. The video will get more and more tense and comical because it goes on.
The play: Within the sports activities world, it may be simple to over-rely on nostalgia. Whereas that may be helpful when nurturing an present fanbase, it doesn’t at all times show you how to attain new followers. The Kings’ strategy to their schedule launch felt recent and disruptive, a recipe for increasing consciousness.
Topgolf tees up influencers & web humor
Sports activities leisure model, Topgolf, provides golfers of all expertise ranges a premium expertise—with a lot of music, meals and drinks thrown in, too.
Topgolf’s huge recognition is undeniably influenced by visitor endorsements on social media. It’s laborious to explain simply how satisfying user-generated content material (UGC) from their driving vary is. Topgolf’s social staff understands, and steadily reshares UGC on the model account (whereas giving credit score to the creators, in fact).
Topgolf additionally faucets into influencers and creators to provide content material from their venues, like this skit a few golfer who takes his date to Topgolf. The hilarious feedback on the video exhibit simply how nicely it resonated with their followers.
The Topgolf social staff additionally has a knack for choosing up on web humor and on-line tradition, whereas making use of it to their distinct viewers. From memes that articulate the humbling expertise of fully lacking the ball to the hysterical accuracy they make use of when breaking down the feedback on their posts.
The play: Topgolf’s social presence is a masterclass in understanding your group. Whereas that may seem like foolish memes or skits, on a deeper degree it interprets to deeply listening to your prospects and studying from their suggestions.
Tottenham Hotspur scores with BTS content material
English soccer membership Tottenham Hotspur, identified affectionately because the Spurs, are the 2025 Europa league winners. Whereas the staff’s recognition on social is actually influenced by their dynamite efficiency, the unfiltered, uncooked behind-the-scenes footage their social staff shares retains followers coming again.
Whether or not it’s movies of their staff stretching and warming up, or outdated mates reuniting after a brand new signing, the social staff at all times delivers unscripted, lo-fi and minimally-produced moments. This video of gamers and long-time mates Pedro Porro and Joao Palhinha was a latest instance of their voyeuristic model.
Apparently, movies like these are likely to outperform different evergreen content material the membership posts, a testomony to their attraction. Right here’s one other instance of the staff boarding a airplane for a match in Seoul.
The play: In an area dominated by flashy spotlight reels and extremely produced content material, don’t overlook a lo-fi POV of your gamers. For followers, attending to see an up-close-and-personal view of their heroes will make these bigger than life figures appear extra human.
Knock it out of the park on social
That wraps up this month’s installment of PPR. Keep tuned for subsequent month, the place we’ll be highlighting a few of our favourite back-to-school campaigns. Within the meantime, keep in mind these key takeaways:
Put up Efficiency Key Takeaways
- Capitalize on cultural relevance. Social groups that faucet into trending subjects, popular culture references or viral codecs can considerably increase engagement—particularly once they align with fan pursuits like trend or humor.
- Prioritize character and authenticity. Unfiltered, behind-the-scenes or pregame moments assist humanize athletes, making them extra relatable and strengthening fan connection.
- Assume past conventional codecs. Artistic storytelling—from cease movement animations to comedic skits—could make routine content material drops really feel recent and attention-grabbing, growing attain and shareability.
- Let your viewers lead. Repurposing user-generated content material, leaning into web humor and studying from fan suggestions permits manufacturers to construct a social presence that feels community-driven and culturally in tune.
For extra on the earth of sports activities, try our deep-dive into the Chicago White Sox’s game-changing technique.
