Cool Ways Talent are Engaging with Fans
- By Declan McManus
- Sep 13, 2020
From a fanless “bubble” for the NBA Playoffs to the cancellation of countless events from movie premieres to Coachella, talent have had to find creative ways to connect with fans and engage with their audiences.
In an effort to enforce social distancing and prevent the spread of COVID-19, organizations and talent have found inventive ways to get fans in on the action. From fan cardboard cutouts at MLB and NBA games to livestreams and sweepstakes, below are some key ways fans are engaging with talent in a COVID-19 world.
Virtual Fans at Sports Events
As most major sports leagues have gone fanless, organizations are finding ways to sell “virtual fan” tickets to fill the stands. As the MLB and NBA resumed this summer, empty stadiums were filled with silent cardboard cutouts instead of thousands of screaming fans in an effort to avoid spreading the virus.
However, Fox Sports came up with a new solution: virtual fans. The network not only broadcasted fake fan audio, but it also filled the stands with digitally rendered fans for its MLB broadcasts. The effect is a combination of technologies, including “augmented reality software and AR graphics.” Sinc Fox Sports’ breakthrough, other teams and leagues have also integrated virtual fans.
To buy tickets or to explore virtual fanship, you can visit your team’s website.
Drive-In Events
While drive-in movies had become a relic of the past, talent from a variety of different industries are now using the drive-in setting to connect with fans. From the Chainsmokers to Garth Brooks, musicians are now playing drive-in concerts to maintain social distancing while allowing them to perform live.
Musicians are also using the drive-in setting to maintain their human connection with their audiences while preventing the spread of COVID-19. After releasing his Netflix comedy series “Hey Big Boy” right before the pandemic, comedian Bert Kreischer launched a drive-in comedy tour as the entire live entertainment industry shut down. In June, Kreischer teamed up with concert promoter Hotbox to launch the Hot Summer Nights Tour, a series of drive-in comedy shows across middle America, offering a full-scale, socially-distanced stand-up performance.
By using the current challenges to his advantage, Kreischer was able to connect with fans and make people laugh during a time of extreme stress and uncertainty.
Social Media - Livestreams, Video Chats, and More
While social media has always helped talent connect with fans, it is a more important tool than ever now that in-person events are shut down. From sponsored videos to virtual sweepstakes to livestreams, social media can allow talent to check in with their fans and engage with them in a unique way.
Companies such as Cameo, which offers personalized celebrity shoutouts, are booming as talent try to find ways to connect with their fans in a meaningful way. With bored celebrities and cooped-up fans, Cameo offers a unique opportunity for fans to get a personalized call-out. For anywhere from $2 to $2,500, users can request a video message from a roster of more than 25,000 talent who have fulfilled approximately 500,000 requests. In a time where everyone feels a little bit disconnected, talent can find creative ways to connect with fans on social media.
To check out Engage’s talent, livestreams, and virtual sweepstakes, please visit the Engage website at https://www.letsengage.com/.
