We’ll Do It Live!

After last year’s SXSW Interactive conference, when our heads were still spinning with augmented reality apps and location-based social networks and gesture based technologies, we came to an unexpected conclusion: many of the most engaging consumer interactions were being delivered via plain ol’ streaming videos.

Part of this success was attributable to steadily-improving content, but we also called attention to the rise of live streaming video sites, especially ustream.tv. Ustream not only offers an enormous range of videos streaming from sports and music events, but the site also surrounds these videos with a “social stream” chat box that ties these conversations to Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites. So, if Ustream can get a big star – like, say, NBA all-star Dwight Howard – to do a live streaming video, not only can viewers chat with Howard in real-time, but all of these conversations are pushed out to social networks, generating an explosion of word-of-mouth activity.

Of course, the Howard example was no accident. Gatorade has obviously recognized the power of live streaming video, and now offers all sorts of live content via their Ustream channel. As covered in a recent Forbes report, Gatorade used their athletic connections to offer truly compelling, exclusive content, such as live videos of athletes training in the Gatorade Performance Lab. Sure, there’s plenty of focus on how the product enhances the workout, but the fact that fans can have an honest interaction with the athletes makes the entire experience feel less like an ad and more like a peek behind the curtain.

Interestingly, though, the Forbes article finds that the big stars aren’t necessarily what’s bringing Gatorade the big ratings. In fact, Gatorade often gets higher traffic for nutrition and fitness Q&As with scientists from their Gatorade Sports Science Institute, as well as the brand’s annual awards lunch for high school athletes. These surprising results are probably the product of a few things done right. In the former case, providing truly useful, tailored, expert information offers consumers relevant information that might otherwise be difficult to find in the clutter of the web. On the other hand, the high school athletes luncheon touches on a few points at once: supporting youth sports, connecting with local communities (a.k.a. being a Hometown’s Hero), and allowing geographically-disparate viewers to experience an event as a group.

It’s this latter point which makes sites like Ustream so compelling for sports and music events, and is also the reason we shouldn’t stop at these two categories. For any event marketing execution, why wouldn’t you arm your brand ambassadors with a couple of video cameras and allow folks from all over to feel a connection to your event? Doing so provides you with all the benefits of targeted regional marketing and amplifies your campaign to your fans across the globe. Sure seems like a no-brainer to us.