SponsorUnited reveals June’s most popular brands based on marketing campaign buzz

The GIST: Last week, sports sponsorship data insights platform SponsorUnited revealed the 30 most-searched sponsors on its platform for June. The platform’s search data indicated which brands were most buzzworthy last month, with each employing different marketing strategies to make waves with sports fans. Switch it up like Nintendo.

The audience: SponsorUnited’s SaaS platform provides data analysis on sponsorship and media rights deals in sports, which is useful for decision-makers at media companies and brands tracking sponsorship trends. By sharing which sponsors sparked the most interest in June, marketers can assess which campaigns were effective and why.

Top 10 brands: Oura Ring saw a 300% monthly boost in search activity by teaming up with the New York Knicks, including star player Jalen Brunson, and the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA). Airbnb was trending due to its new three-year deal with FIFA, while AT&T made headlines for extending its longtime title sponsorship of the PGA’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

• Dunkin’ Donuts created marketing buzz with two celebrity-driven product releases: Reality star Paige DeSorbo’s Pink Spritz Refresher and singer Sabrina Carpenter’s Strawberry Daydream Refresher, an encore to 2024’s Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso.

The takeaways: Brands promoting product sales like Oura and Dunkin’ were smart to tap into athletes and celebs. Individual athlete endorsements outperform those from teams and leagues, with nearly half of millennials more likely to purchase products endorsed by their favourite sports star. This level of influence is why athletes drive 26% of brand sponsorship value on social media.

• Global service brands like Airbnb and AT&T can afford to cast wide nets across international tournaments and domestic leagues, an important consideration given 47% of sponsorship value is driven by long-term sales effects, according to Nielsen Sports. Playing the long game.