MAVS MEDIA DAY
For the past 24 hours, I have been completely enamoured by what the Dallas Mavericks have been posting on social media. They have just wrapped up their team’s “media car wash”. It’s a day where the players go through an assembly line of stations to have their photos taken, interviews given and video content shot for the team’s promotions and branding throughout the season.
The Mavs did an amazing job of creating an event not just for the benefit of the team…but for the fans as well. The content posted on all of their social media channels made it impossible to ignore. I took notice - and some notes.
Here are 5 reasons why I think they hit it out of the ballpark…and the one thing I would have done differently.
I’ve been a part of “media days” over the years and recently, with the birth of a new soccer franchise in my city, the more highly choreographed “media car wash” is something I’ve been introduced to. It’s an intense day as it’s a dance between managing players, wardrobe, props, sets and video equipment. And that’s just to obtain the content. The thought of creating content to showcase the day is something next level…and something the Dallas Mavericks did incredibly well.
Never before had I paid attention to media car wash content like this. I felt like asking for the Coles Notes of how they pulled it off. A cheat sheet….anything. The takeaway for me is something I will gladly be carrying into the 2021 MCW that I’ll inevitably be a part of. Here’s what stood out.
COVERAGE
It felt like the Mavs went all-in…an all-hands-on-deck situation where everyone was involved to make every little bit count. I’d love to know the numbers on how many people were participating behind the scenes because it felt like a lot. And on a day where you’ve got one shot to get what you need…why not make it a day where everyone is on board.
Coverage also in the sense that they left no stone unturned. Multiple stations and multiple looks. A complete run of players in all of their jerseys. Yes, it sounds like a no brainer, but I just appreciated the all encompassing approach. Video, photo, interview, curated and candid, you name it…they got it.
BUY-IN
You can tell when players want to be there and when they don’t. It looked to me like each and every one of these pro athletes not only wanted to be there, but they wanted to be the star of the show. It’s such a difference-maker in obtaining authentic, quality content when the players are buying-in on what the media team is trying to do. Character traits and personalities are revealed which in turn makes for more appealing content that followers and fans invest in.
The buy-in is also on the team behind the cameras. Knowing just how critical the MCW is to the success of brand executions throughout the year means focus and planning. I would love to be a fly on the wall in those pre-production meetings, deciding what shots to list, questions to ask and poses to suggest. This is where creativity and outside-the-box thinking can really be to a team’s benefit.
VOLUME
Volume in the amount of content and volume in the “loudness” level.
On their Instagram feed alone, the Dallas Mavericks posted 10 times throughout the day, sharing some behind the scenes moments. They posted an equal amount (maybe even more) to their IG stories. Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, it was an all out, full court press. Some of the content was a double (or triple) up while other content was unique to the platform.
The loudness level was something that I felt too. It was fun, energetic, authentic, it had humour. It made me want to be there. With the Mavs posting all of this great content to social in such a condensed period of time….I felt like I was a part of the event. Comments, back and forths. Engagement.
BALANCE
The Mavericks walked the perfect line of crisp, curated and clean content and those candid, in-the-moment, “break the fourth wall” shots. There were times when you could tell that there was some post production work done on a photo. Other times, it was a quick clip and an even quicker upload.
Providing a polished, professional look is important, but so is the urgency and impact of the moment. Knowing that both can co-exist and benefit the brand is playing the stacked hand perfectly.
A great mixture of players, looks, jerseys and scenes made for a full, balanced showcase.
DETAILS
The fine details can often be overlooked, forgotten or (gasp) ignored. The Dallas Mavericks paid attention to those details and I have no doubt they’re already reaping the rewards.
A perfect example of this is the simple addition of the “View Products” link in their Instagram feed, or the swipe up in Stories makes it so easy for the fan to add to their level of involvement during the day. “Sharp looking jersey….I need to have one myself.”
I also found their collaboration with Chime to be next level. Pairing up a photo of two players and placing it alongside of two credit cards of the same colour and framing - brilliant.
These are things that you don’t leave for after the fact. This is where the brainstorming and planning ahead of time pay off. Again, it left me both awe-struck and inspired.
For everything the Dallas Mavericks did right on the day (and I think it has been the gold standard for media car wash events) there is one thing I would have done differently. I would have incorporated the team logo a little more.
For example, when posting a player clip from their press conference, why not end with a slick logo animation? I can understand on the spur of the moment candids not having anything, but when you have the time in post….why not?
That said, I’m coming from a viewpoint of being a part of a team that does not have the reach and range of a pro NBA squad. Perhaps the rules are a little different in that sense.
Overall, I was absolutely gobsmacked at the quality level reached by the Mavs and their media production team. If there was a better offering from any of the other franchises, I’d love to see the work. In my opinion, the Dallas Mavericks provided a masterclass in executing a media car wash.