If you’re reading this, chances are you’re considering or have already decided to use a college athlete’s name, image or likeness to promote your brand or company. This arrangement, which would be unheard of a few short years ago, can be an effective tool to make an impact with potential customers.
In case you were unaware, at the time of this writing college sports is in the middle of some of the most significant changes in its history. These changes, which went into effect in the Summer of 2021, now allow athletes to make money by selling their own name, image and likeness. This policy and practice are usually abbreviated as NIL or sometimes NIL rights.
This does seem like a win-win for athletes and businesses alike, but it’s not exactly a no-brainer. Like any good campaign, careful planning and consideration should be taken to ensure its success. Poorly produced or miscommunicated messages not only do your brand a disservice, but they can also negatively affect the brand of the athlete – particularly if the advertisement in question is cringe-worthy.
With every message you create, always remember – content is king. Authentic, well-produced content presented in an organic way is the best path to leveraging your NIL investment. If you want your message to make an impact, you must always be cognizant of how the message will be received by potential customers.
Factors like production, content creation, social and other media channels and how your NIL investment builds on your existing messaging must be taken into consideration. Since new NIL policy change went into effect, Zipline has gained a wealth of experience partnering with athletes and generating impactful content for our clients. Call Zipline today to find out how we can maximize the potential of your NIL investment.