Beats by Dre Beats Elite Class of ‘24

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

Leading audio technology brand Beats by Dre partnered with Learfield, the leading media and technology company powering college athletics, to introduce its Beats Elite Class of '24 through a comprehensive social and video content campaign that leveraged some of America's top college football programs to targeted college fans. The Beats Elite Class was carefully curated based on the student-athletes leadership, character, and excellence in their sport. These powerful videos and social campaigns featured the name, image, and likeness of premier college athletes wearing custom Beats headphones to excite fans about college football season and Beats by Dre products. It was a first-of-its-kind campaign leveraging these rich NIL assets, custom products, and next-level video production.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

Beats by Dre's embrace of the NIL revolution with the Beats Elite campaign generated sizable waves across the media atmosphere. Beyond social media, this campaign prompted digital news outlets to produce 337 pieces of content showcasing the interplay between Beats, individual athletes, and school partners all within the NIL landscape. Extending beyond internet conversation, school-branded Beats headphones received consistent coverage during notable pre-game programs such as ESPN's College Gameday, FOX's Big Noon Kickoff & SEC Nation as well as during top matchups like The Red River Rivalry between Oklahoma and Texas which saw over 12.8M viewers tune into the game on ABC.

Objective

Beats leveraged the excitement of the kick-off of the college football season to amplify awareness and drive sales of Beats headphones and portable Pill speakers with the popular college fan demographic. College fans in general have a higher disposable income than other sports fans and have an affinity for music. Customized video assets delivered across social media were strategically leveraged to reach the desired target audience and create a significant buzz not only for the participating teams but for football fans across the country. By integrating student-athlete influencers, the campaign delivered an authentic connection to fans while also providing a unique brand building opportunity for the athletes themselves.

Strategy & Execution

The Beats Elite Class activation integrated original, authentic content that launched with a compilation of the ‘24 class through an integrated video trailer that capitalized on college football hype. Each Beats Elite Class teammate received custom-branded headphones, and a Beats Pill portable speaker, with their team colors and logos artfully infused on the product to help prepare them for the season and to get pumped up for game day. The campaign featured a series of videos, first with each of the student-athletes in the Beats Elite class working on their gameday preparations with Beats as an integral part of their tools for success and secondly with a seeding video when each teammate gifted a pair of custom, branded headphones to his teammates.

These customized, organic videos in the campaign started running in August before the football season kicked off and were supplemented with paid, targeted campaigns to reach additional fans based on school affinity and interest. Fans loved the campaigns and reacted with excitement based on the authenticity and richness of the video content, which experienced engagement rates that reached north of 60% higher than the typical benchmark of these social channels.

Organizations

• Beats by Dre
• Learfield
• Florida State University Athletics
• Ohio State University Athletics
• University of Alabama Athletics
• University of Colorado Athletics
• University of Georgia Athletics
• University of Michigan Athletics
• University of Mississippi Athletics
• University of Oregon Athletics
• University of Tennessee Athletics
• University of Texas Athletics

Links

•   Website

Featured

• Carson Beck – Georgia Bulldogs (Quarterback)
• Johntay Cook II – Texas Longhorns (Wide Receiver)
• Jaxson Dart – Ole Miss Rebels (Quarterback)
• Caleb Downs – Ohio State Buckeyes (Safety)
• Dillon Gabriel – Oregon Ducks (Quarterback)
• Nico Iamaleava – Tennessee Volunteers (Quarterback)
• Will Johnson – Michigan Wolverines (Defensive Back)
• Jalen Milroe – Alabama Crimson Tide (Quarterback)
• Shedeur Sanders – Colorado Buffaloes (Quarterback)
• Malaki Starks – Georgia Bulldogs (Defensive Back)
• DJ Uiagalelei – Florida State Seminoles (Quarterback)

Credits

Brian Balzerini
Global Marketing Project Manager
Beats by Dre

Cam Azoff
Head of Talent, Partnerships, and Social
Beats by Dre

Mike Weaver
Corporate Partnership Management
Learfield

Caleb Swann
VP – Sports Properties Strategy
Learfield