Verizon’s virtual Fortnite stadium.
Verizon
It’s not the Super Bowl anyone has planned. But Diego Scotti, Verizon’s chief marketing officer, said the company approached this year’s game with the idea that it would be the brand’s “best Super Bowl ever” as it aims to reach consumers in new ways this year.
The company will appear in several ways around the biggest marketing day of the year, building on its Super Bowl commercial with elements like a Verizon stadium in Fortnite and a Super Bowl game night concert to support small businesses, featuring artists like Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys. Verizon will also have a large presence with its 5G service at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, where the game will be held on Sunday, with features it believes will help manage safety and crowds (despite limited attendance this year) .
“I personally believe the Super Bowl is a great platform no matter what the circumstances,” said Scotti. “Because it just clearly brings people together as very few events in the year can … it creates a platform for big news and engagement.”
A few other companies are choosing to wind down the efforts of this Super Bowl after an extraordinarily difficult year.
“We took the opposite approach,” he said. “For us, it started with a moment when two things happen: one is the evolution of our technology with 5G, and a second is the work that is so needed right now to move society forward.”
Scotti added that many consumers are looking for a little distraction.
“I think an important thing to remember is that even in times like this, we really have to think that everyone is craving a little bit of fun, a little bit of entertainment, a little bit of escapism, too,” he said. to happen, [but to have] also a sense of hope that we will get through this. And these are ways to come together too. “
Verizon says it has spent more than $ 80 million improving its network to support the Super Bowl at Raymond James Stadium and surrounding areas. But whether fans attend the game or not, the company also built a “5G SuperStadium” in the NFL mobile app to allow select iPhone users to view the game from different angles. The company also has a free “Watch Together” mode in the Yahoo Sports app, so people can watch and chat with their friends and family.
The “Verizon 5G Stadium” in Fortnite’s Creative Mode is another part of the plan, which allows people to compete for prizes and interact with NFL players and pro gamers in football-inspired games.
The company is also in an effort to help small businesses with its “Big Concert for Small Business”. The show kicks off after the Super Bowl at 11 p.m. ET and will be hosted by Tiffany Haddish with performances from Alicia Keys, Miley Cyrus, Christina Aguilera, Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Jazmine Sullivan, HER and Brittany Howard. The concert will be streamed online from numerous places, including YouTube, Twitter and TikTok, and will be broadcast on BET, CBS Sports Network and other channels. The event will prompt people to text to donate to a nonprofit that supports small businesses.
In addition, Verizon will donate $ 10 million to the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, which will provide financial support to businesses. It also pledges to help one million businesses with digital tools and support by 2030.
“We also needed to use the Super Bowl as a platform to influence community and society in a greater way,” said Scotti. “Certainly one of the areas more affected by what’s going on is small businesses.”
And then the company has its in-game place, which is still mommy about. Scotti would say it is “going to be great”.
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