One of the key stories of the 151st Kentucky Derby (G1) Churchill Downs May 3rd was that of the Social Media Influencer Griffin Johnson and his commitment to the winner of Arkansas Derby (G1) Sandman .
WEST POINT -FUILBLUT makes Johnson a shareholder in Sandman, who took seventh place in the derby, as part of the initiative “A As ast Take on Stardom”. In the run -up to the race, Johnson brought his 9.7 million Tikok, 2.7 million Instagram and 1.6 million followers behind the scenes with the race.
According to ABR, Johnson on May 20 made 51 social media posts regarding Sandman and the derby (5th May Mai-Fahne Instagram or Snapchat stories). These contributions received over 212.2 million impressions, 3.3 million engagements and 35 million views. In addition, Johnson appeared in numerous articles and performed on television, radio, podcasts and digital streams.
Thanks to Johnson, ABR recorded the most effective two -week route in the history of the company to the derby. ABR recorded an augment in impressions by 586%, 311%augment in engagements and an augment in video views by 545%. Only about a third of their 503 posts went over Johnson or Sandman, which showed how the effects on the derby were transferred as a whole.
This exposure also seems to have contributed to making the Kentucky Derby to record numbers in the bet and the highest viewership of the race since 1989. Churchill Downs Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Ziegler said that during the association of the Association of Racing Commissioners International, May 8, the record numbers were surprising because the 150th
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“If they had told me that we would appear over Derby 150, I would never have believed it,” said Ziegler. “The effects of the social media of this last derby were astronomical, exponentially greater than Derby 150. Much of it has to do with Griffin Johnson and the other influencers who were here for derby. This is really effective and that is what we have to attribute for these increased television bidders.”
Ziegler was accompanied by the President and CEO of West Point, Terry Finley, and the President of the thoroughbred rider, Tina Bond, in the Racing Roundtable Panel from West Point. The committee organized in Churchill Downs' Triple Crown Room was moderated by Dan Metzger, the president of the thoroughbred owner and the president of the Breederer Association.
Finley noticed that many comments on Johnson's posts of people in the age group were 18 to 26 years venerable and that they had observed the derby for the first time and had their parents watched with them.
“If you look at these figures, what was the only thing that was different? It was the social media explosion that was far and wide and deep,” said Finley. “I think it's the first time that we really have a case study that we humans can present and say: 'Look, we suspect, we do not hope. We will show you the results.'”
(LR) Toba President Dan Metzger, Tha President Tina Bond, Churchill Downs Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Ziegler and West -Point -Fümbelut President and CEO Terry Finley in a circular Racing Racing Racing Panel of Arci
Although the praise on the derby day was thrown, both Finley and Bond said that the sport still has to see that success spread to standard days in the lower routes in order to be sustainable into the future. Among the topics discussed by the committee as the causes of concerns were the degenerating foal harvest, the decoupling in Florida, a decline in operating racetracks in this century and states such as California, which fall back into the wallet in the money competition, since no additional support for alternative gambling sources was supported.
“For me it is not a sustainable business model,” said Bond, who built horses as a song Hill full blood in Fresh York and races, about the current status of the race. “Very few horses make profits. It is very exorbitant to do business in Fresh York. It is wonderful on the huge days, but all little owners and coaches who feed this wonderful sport to bring us to this point and to expand the sport.”
Finley called the current ecosystem, in which some racing days have growing success, while other tracks have difficulty being open to staying “intricate” but encouraged by the passion of all industry members.
“If you have that, you have a future,” he said.
Should the race utilize social media and the Internet properly, it could be a way to a better future. Finley said that he was the digital area the most critical, cheapest and most extensive focus of sports marketing.
In a later panel entitled “Marketing Racing in today's competition world”, Jimmy Chaffin, who works for Bonds advertising initiative “The Heart of Horse Racing” and described the creation of fans “The First Domino”, which would lead to greater participation in the horse racing.
Bond hopes that this augment in exposure to sport will lead to a larger audience to take part in tracks. She emphasized the importance of personal experience that spectators converted into fans and participants of the sport for life. In order to keep this experience possible, the industry must solve its decreasing foal harvest, which would aid keep a larger number of tracks open.
“I think to build real fans, you have to interest them, but they have to have this experience on the track,” said Bond. “If you are not close enough – you are in Northern California or Florida when the tracks are gone – where you will have this experience? We have to bring people in, but we have to build sports. We don't just need owners and foals, but we need bed.
In the leadership of the derby, Johnson took a partnership with Twinires to offer advertising campaigns for sport. Five days after the derby, the link is still displayed in its Tikok profile.
“This is a way to put it in the hands of someone so that you can bet or learn something about a horse,” said Finley. “Of course you want you to get to the race track. Just as critical – I would say what is more critical – you will register for the bet.”
The more money is awakened, the more money is earned to support higher wallets. The higher wallets, the higher an incentive to own. The higher incentive to possess the greater demand for horses.
“Last Saturday to bet her is much easier than getting them today to bet them,” said Ziegler. “If our Twinires team – in connection with the Griffin Johnsons of the World – does their work correctly, we can register people who register for accounts via (derby) weekend.
This increased exposure through gambling could lead to property and breeding if those who join the industry learn more about it.
Bond and Chaffin were teamed up by the marketing panel from Lithe Up Racing Board member Price Bell from Mill Ridge Farm. The Mission of Lithe Up Racing is to be a combined voice for the industry in order to counteract misinformation about the online spread of the industry.
“(The sport) played a game without communication/reaction reaction. We try to switch more into a proactive, preparatory and preventive campaign for awareness,” said Bell. “Make sure that people like Griffin who have these influencer campaigns know the facts about races. You can tell your followers quickly if you say that Horse Racing kills horses.
Chaffin showed a study in which people were asked who they most likely believe when they receive information. 74 percent of the people stated that they trust information from people they believe that they are like themselves, together with scientists. This supported his argument for why the utilize of influencers to promote the race was an critical step.
“The authenticity, the real emotional reaction, unwritten, people let people be,” said Chaffin. “It is one of the reasons why influencers do so well. I love everything that Griffin did last weekend. We need 10 more grip.
