ESPN
Episodic
Case Study
Episodic
Case Study
Project Overview
ESPN is the biggest name in American sports media, reaching fans across TV, digital, and live events. Behind the broadcasts, its ad sales and analytics teams sell that audience to the world’s largest advertisers. ESPN asked True Stories to bring their audience research to life on film, giving media buyers a front-row seat to the fans behind the data.
Challenge
ESPN’s advertising analytics team had a proof problem: their data could show who sports fans were, but not why they cared so much. Their ad sales team needed media buyers to viscerally grasp why distinct sports audiences were deeply passionate.
Approach
Across multiple projects, True Stories became ESPN’s storytelling partner for internal sales and strategy. We documented college football culture, lifestages of sports fandom, Latino soccer culture, tailgating, and sponsor experiences around marquee live events.
Results
A 15-year partnership that spanned some of the most culturally rich corners of American sports fandom. The best sales tool was a story that made a media buyer feel what it’s like to be in that stadium, in that city, on that Saturday.
Challenge
ESPN’s advertising analytics team had a proof problem: their data could show who sports fans were, but not why they cared so much. Their ad sales team needed media buyers to viscerally grasp why distinct sports audiences were deeply passionate.
Approach
Across multiple projects, True Stories became ESPN’s storytelling partner for internal sales and strategy. We documented college football culture, lifestages of sports fandom, Latino soccer culture, tailgating, and sponsor experiences around marquee live events.
Results
A 15-year partnership that spanned some of the most culturally rich corners of American sports fandom. The best sales tool was a story that made a media buyer feel what it’s like to be in that stadium, in that city, on that Saturday.
Stills
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Stills
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