Foxtel Media have announced several new FOXTEST agency partners following a rise in interest from experimental advertising platform, in the Foxtel Media 2022 Sport Showcase on Thursday.
FOXTEST is a $3 million initiative that helps brands explore the frontiers of advertising and run experiments across content, advertising experience, and data.
IPG, OMD, Spark Foundry, GroupM, as well as several independents have come on board as agency partners.
Testing commenced with sport and entertainment authority, Gemba, and with TV performance management platform, Adgile, to help co-create the future of marketing and explore innovation across video advertising.
Under FOXTEST, Foxtel Media commissioned a three-phase research project to understand the female sporting audience and show the value of this platform to brands, partners and sponsors.
In collaboration with several partners, including NAB, Harvey Norman and Suncorp, Foxtel Media defined the drivers of engagement across Women’s Sports, and how to build trust, resonance and ultimately lead to great outcomes for brands.
Rebecca McCloy, commercial director of Fox Sports, noted in the showcase they are starting to see audience growth women’s sports deserve, as well as brands starting to align with the sports and broadcasters.
She said that the Big Bash League Women (WWBL) final in 2020 had 130,000 people watching it over streaming subscription service Kayo Sports and Foxtel. The same number was achieved for the AFLW grand final.
Pictured left to right: Hannah Hollis, Rebecca McCloy, Peter Horgan, Mim Haysom – executive GM brand and marketing, Suncorp Group,
“The numbers are impressive, but the uplifts are even more impressive. That’s a 65% (Y-o-Y) increase on the previous grand finals and you know the overall seasons were 19% up year-on-year as well which is extraordinary.”
McCloy added that the increase came because of an uplift in audiences on Foxtel as well as on Kayo Sports subscribers.
She also noted that the appetite for women’s sport has been increasing in the community and on the broadcast.
Research commissioned by the company found that 69% of people are watching women’s sports more than they did pre-pandemic, 72% of males are watching women’s sport and that 2/3 of the audience for AFLW, WBBL and NRLW are women, which McCloy noted: “dispels the myth that it’s only women watching women’s sport.
“Importantly for us, one of the facts that stood out is 56% of people are saying that they’re watching more women’s sport because there is more media coverage. Chicken and the egg scenario, we’re showing it, they’re watching more and 49% of say it’s because there’s dedicated coverage,” McCloy said.
“Facts like that are really prompting us to innovate and launch initiatives like our 24/7 ICC Women’s World Cup channel, and then make it widely available on freebies. It’s going reward us through audience but it’s also going to reward us by perpetuating that growth cycle,” she added.
McCloy noted that one of the most important factors was all viewers felt more emotionally connected with women’s sport in comparison to their male counterparts.
She added: “What we’re seeing further that is those brands that are associating with those women sportspeople are feeling a greater connection to those brands as well.”
Peter Horgan, Omnicom Media Group CEO, said that brands looking to get behind such an opportunity should take a long-term view.
“There’s great opportunity there, but customers will reward you if you’re showing up where you should be showing up and you’re being real about how you invest a support a code as it develops and emerges.”
He noted that authenticity, brand suitability, brand safety and affordability in these emerging codes are important aspects to consider.
Westpac, and its media agency Spark Foundry, was announced as one of FOXTEST’s first partners late last year, with a focus on defining the role of context and engagement in optimising brand and retail messages.
Martin Medcraf, Foxtel Sales and Brand Partnerships director
Andrew Goodieson, Gemba’s head of strategy, said: “We are completely on board with Foxtel Media about going deeper in our understanding of the barriers and opportunities for brands to invest more into Women Sport. We are confident that this research will provide a playbook to inspire and help brands realise the full potential of the women codes across the country.”
Vanessa Akem, Spark Foundry client director said: “We believe attention is a significant metric, and we’re investing early in quantifying the contribution of engagement and context. Westpac is the perfect client to help us to trial new methodologies, with tests like this allowing our teams to apply the most contemporary thinking in an increasingly competitive market.”
Foxtel Media CEO Mark Frain said that the strong interest and positive reception from the market has not surprised him: “The initiative premiered to broad industry appeal, with many key players showing great appetite for the move away from the traditional ad-buying model.
“Over the last 12 months we have actively listened to our agency partners and clients – they want to collaborate to define new ways of working and challenge the existing advertising conventions, formats and experiences for brands.
“Since announcing FOXTEST we have been in close consultation and engagement with agencies and clients from across the industry. We are already making great progress in establishing tests, specifically across data integration, creating new ad formats and further understanding the application of attention metrics across our channels,” he added.
Top image: Foxtel Group CEO Patrick Delany and Foxtel Media CEO Mark Frain