<\/p>\n
C4 is seeing triple.<\/p>\n
This week, the energy-drink brand expanded its sponsorship slate into basketball, announcing multiyear deals with three NBA teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Miami Heat.<\/p>\n
The deals, which include sponsorship assets like LED and courtside signage, digital ads, retail displays, and hospitality opportunities, came out of a desire to reach the fans of the three teams, according to Katie Geyer, VP of partnerships and experiential marketing at C4 parent company Nutrabolt.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we know about these fans is they really believe in the sponsors and the partners of the teams, and they\u2019re very influenced by that,\u201d Geyer said. \u201cNot only that, but their fans tend to be younger, they tend to be more diverse, and they also tend to be more interested in sports and athletics and fitness, so for us\u2026it just makes all the sense in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
The partnerships also present an opportunity for C4 to expand its foothold in major east coast markets and differentiate itself from other energy-drink brands via an association with elite athletes, Geyer said.<\/p>\n
The Knicks, Celtics, and Heat are all storied NBA franchises, plus the Celtics are the reigning champs, which may be reason enough for a brand to want to partner with them. C4 was also interested in targeting the Eastern Conference markets, since those geographic areas tend to over-index in energy-drink consumption, Geyer said. Another benefit: the brand has \u201ckey business partners,\u201d like retailers and distributors in those areas, too, she said.<\/p>\n
At risk of inflaming basketball rivalries, the Knicks and Heat can perhaps thank the Celtics for serving as the start of the deals. A smaller partnership between C4 and the Celtics at the end of last season that involved local retail displays and social posts \u201cwas incredible for us,\u201d Geyer said, and was \u201cwhat propelled us to this three-team strategy that we\u2019re going out with this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s the Heat partnership, though, that includes a little something extra. C4 has pouring rights at the Kaseya Center and is also doing sampling there, and hopes to eventually do the same with the other teams, she said, though teams don\u2019t always own their arenas, which can complicate pouring rights deals.<\/p>\n
Beyond tapping into the NBA\u2019s audience\u2014a younger, diverse crowd likely to frequent the gym and reach for energy drinks\u2014Geyer said C4\u2019s move into basketball is an effort to redouble ongoing efforts to be associated with high performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe call ourselves the athlete\u2019s energy drink,\u201d she said. \u201cWe really feel like we\u2019re made for athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n
To back it up, C4 holds the National Science Foundation\u2019s Certified for Sport certification, a third-party certification program for products that is recognized by the US Anti-Doping Agency and leagues like the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Working with one of those leagues, then, is perhaps a no-brainer.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy diving into the NBA, we\u2019re able to really spread that message and own that platform,\u201d Geyer said.<\/p>\n
C4 also has the endorsement of other leagues and athletes. Its sports partnerships span WWE, Top Rank Boxing, Overtime, Austin FC in MLS, and several top NFL athletes. Since it\u2019s early days in basketball for C4, Geyer said her team plans to evaluate how the next year or so goes before moving deeper into the space, but further deals with teams and players aren\u2019t off the table. Geyer said she\u2019ll look to see brand awareness and sales growth in those three markets, as well as increases in social impressions and engagement for the brand.<\/p>\n
\u201cAssuming we see the ROI, I think there\u2019s more to come for us in the NBA,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n