When sports moments go viral, they capture the world’s imagination, build bridges to new fans and create global communities of team loyalty. Whether it’s an unbelievable goal or a heartwarming tribute, these moments are what make sports so exciting, and can even boost a brand’s marketing efforts.
Sometimes, virality strikes when we least expect it. We’ve all seen that blue/black dress that ignited a global debate, or the lawyer who appeared as a cat in a Zoom court hearing. But what about when brands intentionally engineer these viral moments? To explore the process, we took a look at three campaigns that captivated the world and mapped them to Berger’s STEPPS model.
From a casual swimmer’s epic win to a darts legend’s eloquent tribute, 2024 has been filled with incredible viral sports moments. And while some of these have inspired awe, other examples have captured the lighter side of sport, with wacky head-scratching antics that keep audiences engaged and teams talking.