What Happened
Livestreaming and 360-degree video have been gaining momentum among sports broadcasters and brand sponsors, and broadcasters and sponsors of the just-completed Rio Olympics were no exception. BBC created 100 hours of 360-degree video content to showcase the action from Rio, which is accessible through the BBC Sport 360 app for iOS, Android, and Samsung’s Gear VR headset. Brands such as Visa, Samsung, and automaker Lincoln worked with publishers to create Rio-themed 360-degree videos to engage the Olympics audience via their sites.
Some brands are also finding success using livestreaming to connect with Olympics viewers. GE, for example, created a series of Facebook Live video interviews of GE scientists who helped build the infrastructure for the Rio Games. Bradesco, the Brazilian bank, also used Facebook Live video in combination with Facebook Canvas and other video ads to follow the Olympic torch relay.
What Brands Need To Do
Both 360-degree video and live video provide new ways for brands to connect with their audiences. The immersion and immediacy they bring to sports make them ideal video formats for media owners and brands to explore. As both formats continue to gain momentum among consumers, brands need to start working with content creators today to produce branded 360-degree and/or live video content.