49ers using new media to promote football program

The Charlotte 49ers will host their first game at their new 15,300-seat stadium on Aug. 31, 2013. Photo by Chris Crews

The 2013 49er football kickoff is drawing closer each day. The program is preparing for next fall on and off the field.

Charlotte’s athletic department is using multiple forms of social media to promote the birth of the football program including Youtube, Facebook and Twitter.

Nick Konawalik, Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing, has created a unique, special campaign. Konawalik’s campaign will introduce three digital billboards in various Charlotte locations.

Located on highway 29 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, on I-85 at Statesville Rd and at I-85 and Billy Graham, all three digital billboards will be modifiable.

The billboards will work in conjunction with the athletic department’s social media promotion campaign. Konawalik will post various questions on Twitter regarding the football program.

Using the hashtag “#kickoff2013,” fans and students can respond to questions such as “What will 49ers Game Day look like” and “What does 49ers football mean to you?” Fans’ answers to the questions on Twitter will be displayed on the various billboards the very next day.

“We felt the digital boards were a great and unique opportunity for us to hear from our fans and share their message,” Konawalik told the media. “These are people here in Charlotte and beyond that bleed green and can tell their story, explaining why they are among the 49ers faithful, as well as what bringing a Division I college football program to Charlotte means to them and our young institution.”

The idea for Konawalik and the marketing staff was to attract as much attention to Charlotte’s new program as possible. With Twitter responses being displayed on billboards, fans can become an active part of the advertising campaign.

Not only do thousands of people see the content on the billboards each day, but the campaign also allows for plenty of Charlotte 49er football chat on Twitter.

“We have received a tremendous number of responses, which speaks to the excitement around the inaugural season, and have received comments from across the sports industry regarding the use of social media in the campaign and the opportunity for fans to share the story of Charlotte 49ers football as they see it,” Konawalik added.

The billboard campaign, which will run through Oct. 12, is not the only marketing strategy adopted by the Charlotte athletic department.

The campaign also features a television commercial spot. The TV advertisement features images of Head Coach Brad Lambert, McCall-Richardson Field, Charlotte’s white helmets and introductions of players. The add was produced by Media Production Coordinator AJ Mead.

Beginning on Sept. 15, the the ad was aired during college football games through Time Warner Cable’s North Charlotte area. Much of Mecklenburg county could see the Charlotte 49ers football add during Monday Night Football on Sept. 15 while watching a game between the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons.

The television advertisement will continue to run on ESPN, ESPN2, News14, Nicklodeon and cartoon network until Sept. 30.

Konawalick and the marketing team are also using conventional billboards displaying the phrase “One City. One Team. One Year Away.”

Completing the marketing campaign are various print and online advertisements promoting next fall’s kickoff only 11 months away.

Category: Football, Niner Times, Sports