Marketing a supernova

Kellyn Smith Kenny CMO AT&T

Who do you have winning your college basketball bracket? The head of AT&T’s marketing is hoping that you’ll respond by asking, “For which tournament?”

The telecommunications giant is once again sponsoring the men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments. Kellyn Smith Kenny, chief marketing and growth officer at AT&T, discusses how it’s significantly increasing its investment in the women’s tournament as the record-setting superstar from the University of Iowa, Caitlin Clark, draws in more viewers.

Does Caitlin Clark remind you of another superstar, or does this all feel new?

I think this is potentially once in a generation. If I compare her to other athletes and the type of heat she has in her sport, you’ve got Mikaela Shiffrin in skiing and Serena Williams in tennis. It is incredible how much momentum and how much true passion for the sport she has been able to create.

So you want to advertise on her games?

One of the things that’s amazing about it is women’s sports is a really smart investment for brands and advertisers to make. Viewers of women’s sports, they have a disproportionate share of their households’ discretionary spend. They’re far more likely to remember and recall the brands that advertise during women’s sports, and they associate those brands with being supportive of women’s sports

Is AT&T doing anything different with the women’s tournament this year than in years past?

From 2023 to 2024, we are doubling our media investment in the women’s tournament.

We are a sponsor of March Madness brackets, and we are on a mission to encourage more bracket equity. Every time someone asks: “Did you fill out a bracket for March Madness?” we want the response to be: “Yes, I filled out two, both women’s and men’s.”

If we can pull the lens out more broadly to live sports in general, do you find that it’s still the premier way to get in touch with potential customers?

There’s no question that what live sports can deliver is fans who don’t hop around to other shows. They are very engaged.

The thing that’s so incredible about sports is that it’s a shared passion. When brands advertise and communicate through sports, fans can figure out very quickly if this brand is an authentic sports fan, truly understands fandom and the players and the coaches and the dynamics.

Even with the fracturing of media, you’re still finding those fans?

Last year 30% of games viewed were over a mobile device. We’ve seen that number increase every year. This emphasizes how critical it is that when brands tell their story, we’re not limiting it to broadcast television.