episode 73 of the dsmsports podcast w/ chris burdett and lauren whitaker of the jacksonville jaguars

Best Of...Lauren Whitaker & Chris Burdett on the

Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast

Lauren Whitaker, Digital Manager for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Chris Burdett, Senior Digital Manager for the Jaguars, Founder and Managing Editor of The Cauldron, were the featured guests on episode 73 of the DSMSports Podcast.

What follows are some snippets from the interview. Hear the full episode on www.DSMSports.net or download it on from iTunes Store podcasts or on Stitcher and other podcast apps.

Enjoy...

@njh287DSMSports.net



Lauren's career path

Grew up in Dayton, OH and attended University of Cincinnati and then worked for the Dallas Cowboys for 1+ year before she realized “My skill sets weren't exactly where they needed to be at the time. It was a huge learning experience.”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastShe went back to Ohio and added to her skills in web development and design (a lot of pro bono work) and then started working for a non-profit in Cincinnati for two years –> Then went to the Cleveland Browns, working there for two years in digital

From Browns, went to Florida State, before then moving back on to the NFL and then to the Jaguars where she is today!

“(Social) was something I kind of learned along the way when I was with the Browns...”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastChris's career path

“I initially never envisioned myself to be in sports...From high school, I was on a career path to be an astronaut...”

After high school, he got injured when sparring with a friend in karate and, when returning to the ROTC program, he was told he could not fly anything over 5 G's ever again, so that took astronaut out of the picture!

Chris had a hobby designing posters and websites for friends, so he started looking into that career field.

“I did a full 180 from going to be a military kid to going to be an artist..”@njh287

DSMSports.net



Started out at University of Florida business program before going to North Florida to more specifically study graphic design → First few jobs, Chris ran a freelance graphic design agency in Miami

→ First official job was with Web.com → Then got call from an old professor at North Florida saying Jaguars were looking for a web designer and, through that referral, he quickly landed an interview and then the job



Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast“As I was walking in to the do the interview, I had to step

back and take a second and go 'I'm about to interview for the NFL. MY career path has nothing (to do with) sports...' But they liked my portfolio and they liked my work...”

“That true old statement of things happen for a reason – I definitely believe that...I had a good friend that continued on with (ROTC) program and he got stationed out in Iraq and never got to the a where he got to go to NASA...So things do truly happen for a reason.”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastDigital in college v. NFL

“I would say that there's a fair amount of restrictions on both sides. For instance, if there is a player that is looking to commit to Florida State, I can't necessarily say on Twitter, 'So and so is committed to Florida State' because we have to be compliant...On the flip side, if there is a particular song we want to use (on social), college can get away with using a popular song...but (in the NFL) we can't quite do that. We have to (get the rights)...In terms of fun, I would definitely say the NFL is a lot more fun. There is a lot more flexibility in what you're able to do and who you're able to engage with.



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastChris on college football fans vs. NFL fans in Florida

“I think it's more so embracing the culture and seeing how they do actually cross paths and how they can merge over time. Perfect example...over the last couple of seasons, we've picked up some Florida State players, some Florida players, and we actually just went out to Tallahassee and did what we deemed the 'Tally Takeover'...and showed that you follow these players in college, but (after) it doesn't stop there...

Until I got down here in the southeast, I didn't realize how important college football was to this community...(Where he is from in the northeast) it is nowhere near the level (of college football fandom in Florida)...That passion, you can definitely see trickle over...@njh287

DSMSports.net


Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast“It goes back more so to embracing the two cultures...and

show those fans it can be just as exciting on Saturday as on Sunday, equally.”

“You're still gonna have that split, to an extent. You only have so much time on the weekend to choose one or the other. We'll be a little bit selective...If it's one of those games where (it's a huge college game)....There is that split here and there, but I think more so (recently), I've seen it be blurred and be equally as exciting for a fan from a college and NFL perspective down here.”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastThe state of Jaguars' digital compared to other NFL clubs

“By the time I got to Cleveland, (digital) was full blown a part of the organization and you started to see more job postings and necessities around the social area...I would definitely say it was night and day (Jaguars vs. Browns), because even when I was with the Browns, we were constantly looking at the Jaguars site to see how we could take some of their techniques...

[Lauren talks about reaching out to Chris when she was with Cleveland to ask about mobile app vendors]




“We still hear it, too, from clubs (about the Jaguars being ahead of the curve in digital and social)...I would say in terms of generating ideas and having the ability to execute, it's 100% (with the Jaguars) and it's not necessarily like that with all clubs...It depends on the focus (of the club)...With us, it is a lot about tickets, but we are able to find a decent balance and we are able to engage with the fans.”

[Lauren cites their Pokemon GO event as a perfect example of that]



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastHow the Pokemon GO event came together for the Jaguars

(Chris)

“I'll admit, I'm a huge nerd...I am a 20 year veteran when it come to being a Pokemon trainer. I bought into the phenomenon right away...The nostalgia that's tied to it is just great...

“I threw the wild idea toward our marketing VP Steve Ziff of allowing fans to come into the stadium. Our stadium has three Poke-stops...areas you can interact in the game that you can't access unless you are actually inside the stadium. Seeing as it is the offseason...we figured let's embrace it, let's get the community in here, let's create that environment and allow it to foster within the stadium...and we'll have...anything from a Jaguars fan to probably someone who doesn't even understand what a first down is...”




“But, at the same time, they're interacting with our brand, we're out here having a good time and, when it comes down to it, that's what we look for...We were able to work with our partnership team and gets some backing from Fan Duel to help open up the stadium (and help foot the bill) [security, Pokemon=themed music, badge for fans, and more)”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastWhere social and digital fits into the Jaguars' organizational

infrastructure

“Officially, we fall under the marketing department,...but we literally interact with...every single branch of the organization...With everything being so heavy digital right now, that is how we see ourselves. We are the vehicle that is able to get that message to whatever audience (we're trying to reach)...On a daily basis, we change our hats...[Chris talks about doing legal, design, logistics, partnerships, website coding, and more]

“Every single day when I walk in, I never know what's going to happen...” @njh287

DSMSports.net


Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastJustifying/Achieving ROI of something like the Pokemon GO

event

“That is a facet of it, it's not solely what we're doing, but it is a facet any time we do an event...[Chris mentions how they get fan data from digital tickets to the event]...Hopefully, with all the additions we have to the stadium, people who haven't been to the stadium who may be casual fans may be (driven to want to come to a game)...



Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast“When (owner) Mr. Khan came in, he just had a new vibrant energy to him. He saw what this town could potentially be. I remember one of the first days he was here, he [said] 'I look at Jacksonville and I don't see it any different than Pittsburgh or Dallas or any of those fandoms that are international...We're playing games in London now...It's a different l=kind of feel and that excitement in itself is awesome...

“We saw [Pokemon GO night] as a potential way to get people who might not normally get to the stadium and maybe want to see a little more when it comes around to the season and they might get some single game tickets. And, all of a sudden, we've created another fan from something as simple as catching a Pokemon.”@njh287

DSMSports.net


Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastOn the Jaguars brand on social and digital

“To carry that spirit over that Mr. Khan brought in as far as innovation and being the first with a lot of things – We're the first to have the world's largest scoreboards, the first to have polls in the end zones. A lot of things where he wanted to make sure we created this environment of fun, yet professionalism at the same time...We, as an organization, truly believe in the (coaches and GM)...After the draft, I don't know how many times on social we saw (positive prognostication for the Jags)...and it all come down to Mr. Khan making that shift and seeing that potential in this city...



Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast“Beyond just the Jaguars, (Khan) truly does love this city to the point where has invested in it...[Chris mentions annual conference where people present business ideas]...We're about to roll out an amphitheater that is going to be amazing right along the river...These are all things that (Khan) personally wanted to bring ot the city. To see the spectrum go from where it was five years ago to where it is now is absolutely amazing...We carry that in what we do, so when we digitally are trying to figure out what we want to do for our fans, we want to make sure that we're being the first...”

[Chris mentions their emoji keyboard last year]...We know what our fans are interacting with...@njh287

DSMSports.net


Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast“We are a smaller fan base, we are a smaller market...We

a lot of times get a bad rap when it comes down to our team. The notion that we never sell out our seats; there's this cloud that hangs over our fan base from a national perspective and we just want to change that perspective. It seems like, since Mr. Khan has been here, we have been able to pull back on that and show how awesome this city can be and just deliver what we are as Jacksonville Jaguars and (the team) we envision ourselves (to be).”




Helpful Tool: PicMonkey Mobile App (iOS and Android)



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastHow the Jaguars success on the field affects the digital

marketing team and planning

“Offseason is always all about hope, no matter what team you are...With that extra excitement we have going into the season...[Chris mentions the Jags having popular players for fantasy] Having those key (star) players is a huge factor when it comes to what we do for content and how popular our content will be. The reach of the content will vary depending on who we use and specifically who we are featuring. It definitely comes into our strategy...



Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast“[For training camp] We're already throwing around ideas of giving exclusive access to our fans and seeing the game from a different perspective; which could be as simple as putting a GoPro on (WR) Allen Robinson when he's walking out of the tunnel to even some one-on-one drills during training camp and showing that right in-your-face moment that you wouldn't get unless you're a true NFL player...

“Referring back to when I first started, we were going through a lot of changes, we had an interim coach for a little while there. It was just a matter of trying to get that foundation established. I feel now that we have that foundation, it's just a matter of building up from there.”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastLauren on gauging the pulse of the fans and what content is

resonating

[Lauren mentions the trio of Hurns-Robinson-Bortles is the #1 triumvirate in fantasy football, according to some media]

“What I'm able to see from the inside looking outside is any time we cam make fans feel a part of what is going here at the stadium, within the organization, it's win-win. It's what they seek...Any time we can provide that to them regularly and kind of put them in the driver's seat in terms of what we create, we really can't go wrong.”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastChris on fan engagement and content

“When it comes to UGC, we love it...We always try to repurpose as much as we can of it. Once we get back to the season , we always have a weekly article called the Social Snapshot, which will take anything from the game day hash tag...and try to find our fans just showing what t i to be a Jacksonville Jaguar, and we'll use that for photo galleries to marketing campaigns to whatever that may be...

Seeing as we do have the world's largest scoreboards, we do have some really awesome activations on game day where fans can easily use either our game day app or just simply using a specific hash tag and see themselves up on the board. And, from there, we're able to take that content and repurpose it down the road...




“We just want to make sure that our fans know how much we appreciate them, know how much we love that they;re a part o this team, and deliver the best content possible. Because, a lot of times, at a larger scale...you don't get too much coverage when it comes to the Jacksonville Jaguars, which will soon change!...Until that team [turns] the corner...we're that main source of content...”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastOn the ever-changing nature of digital and social and adapting to

[and shifting resources to] the new and emerging platforms

“When I first started, the digital team was myself and a senior web programmer. That was it...Now we're to the point where there's three of us dedicated to social media in the digital realm, but there's about 12 of us that all have some part in the digital realm. We have a video team now (3 videographers, two editors ,two on-site reporters)...Just the amount of content that people yearn for these days, we have to be able to deliver and deliver quickly.



Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast“With the mediums changing...it used to be, you can get a

headline on that newspaper the next day and it's perfectly fine. Now, if you miss the headline that came out in a tweet five minutes ago, you're behind. Just that changing landscape makes it's really interesting. I think it's really exciting to see how real-time everything is getting...

We're going to be doing some really awesome (Periscope) activations in training camp...We're going to be featuring some of the practices [when the Bucs come to practice with them in advance of a preseason game] on our Periscope, going live on Facebook...It is a lot to keep up with, but, at the same time, I enjoy it. I think it's a cool experience to see how quickly technology shifts and what we can do with it. Content before, simply having a podium presser or a one-on-one interview was compelling enough, but now, with GoPros and even 360-degree cameras, that we might be unveiling here....The landscape is never-ending and (always) changing, but in a good way.”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastLauren's take:

“I think, no matter what, each platform is going to be equally as important. The great thing about that is we are definitely in an awesome position. What I mean by that is we're here in house with the team. We can go to lunch and cross paths with Allen Robinson or anyone on the team. I think we do a really good job and at least try to strive to make sure our content differentiates from what us already out there. If we're going to have the same headlines as SportsCenter or ESPN, our fans are just going to go there. We have the ability, because of the fact hat we're in house, to make it so that it's unique and diverse and different from everything else that's out there because we are here with the team.”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastOn defining success in digital and social for the Jaguars

“I would say engagement. Just to see how much we get either from an interaction standpoint or, if we're doing a specific campaign (and those objectives)...Engagement is our #1 stat that we're always looking at. Going back to being that smaller market team – whenever we can get something, whether it be content-wise or a campaign,....to hit on a national level, we see that definitely as a win situation for us...

[Chris mentions a variety of successful content, from inside access to viral social interactions with other teams, and other content that resonates widely and nationally@njh287

DSMSports.net



Share-able Stat: 49%, the average price increase above face value on the secondary market in sports and entertainment



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastOn the Union Jax Fan Club

“Our main goal with the Union Jax Fan Club I to provide platform for fans in the UK who are interested in the NFL [and] may not fully know the game yet, and some of them do...and be able to bring them in, in a casual way. We first initially were going to go over to London and play one game, and then we realized our fan base over there is so rabid and really loves to see the NFL that we ended up going out there consistently a couple more seasons...

The main goal there is to always have another fan base hold down the fort us, per se, over there, that are truly Jaguars fans. Every time we have an event out there, we have thousands of people show up...

It's just another way to show that we are committed to the UK fan base out there. We see ourselves as the Jacksonville Jaguars, but we are an international team when it comes down to it. Our fans are worldwide.”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastThe best part of living in Florida and the best part of living in

Ohio

Lauren: “The best part about living in Ohio, I would say, is experiencing the four seasons...But what Florida has that Ohio doesn't have is the beach.'

Chris: “The best part about living in Florida is we have two seasons. We have summer and extended fall. So when people are shoveling snow and dealing with the blizzard Armageddons up north, we're down here having cocktails on the beach. So you can't go wrong!”




Which Jaguars player is the biggest personality and/or best quote on the team?

Chris → Jared Odrick

Lauren → “I gotta go with my boy, Telvin Smith. Telvin is good people and he can keep you smiling, that's for sure.”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastFavorite Jaguars digital and social campaign and why

Chris → “I'll just go ahead and say probably the one I'm working on right now, Pokemon GO campaign. I had to post on my own personal social media account going, 'I never would thave thought in my entire life that I would have the responsibility of spearheading a project where Pokemon and the NFL actually came together for a campaign...

Second to that one, I would say, last year, would be the Nike color rush campaign. That was a ton f fun. Being able to keep things behind the scenes for a little bit while we know that we were going to roll out a completely bold uniform. Just the activation around that was a lot of fun...”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastLauren → “I would agree with that. Chris and I are video gamer

players and this the one time that we can incorporate a video game into what we do and it's awesome.”

Lauren's Browns days → “The last week of the season in which we thanked the fans. Essentially what we did was, every day, to show the fans how much we appreciated them and to let them know that we wouldn't be there if it weren't for them, we had different giveaways every day of the week...For me, it brought things back to perspective as to why we ultimately do what we do...”




Which fans are crazier (for teams Lauren worked for) – Cowboys fans or Seminoles fans?

“I gotta go with the Cowboys...They're just on a different level. Everything is bigger in Texas. The Noles, I think, they've always been on a high platform...But, if I'm comparing the two, I would say the Noles are a close second...”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastThe most memorable tweet that Jaguars have ever sent

Chris → [In a Broncos-Jaguars game a couple seasons back] “The Broncos decide to throw out a tweet (with a stat saying) that Peyton Manning in the last three quarters had thrown more touchdowns than the Jaguars combined for the season. So, at that point, I decided to work with our digital team to come up with a very clever comeback, and directly tweet at them 'Stay classy, Denver,' which turned into this massive...rally or campaign behind us beating the Denver that week. Because it was kind a low blow...Especially when we didn't have any (malicious) history with them...

I think personally that was one of my favorite ones. Just the memories of me sitting there with my digital team saying 'Alright, do we send this out? What do we do?' I walked there [and asked] PR...Sure enough, it blew out, it was this huge thing. It was on ESPN, we were having interviews about it. I personally was interviewed about it. It was just a really fun week...”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastLauren → “For mine, it was this past season. It was the

second time that we were playing the Indianapolis Colts and we were absolutely just tearing them apart. We ended up beating them by 50+ points and we sent out a GIF...[with] the rap artist 50 Cent where he sort of has this sarcastic look on his face while he's sitting in a drop-top and he just speeds off. So we sent out this tweet saying 'Can't believe we're beating the Colts by 50' and it was a GIF of 50 Cent just speeding off, laughing as he was doing it. We got a lot of retweets on that one. We got a lot of great engagement and interaction with that.”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastThe platform that performs best for the Jaguars and why you

think that is?

“I think it's kind of a toss between both Facebook and Twitter. We get the most engagement on Facebook, just in terms of people generating conversation o things that we post...For our market, we do have a decent following on Twitter and I know that's how people get the news the fastest from us.”

[Chris also shouts out Jaguars Twitter]



Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast“Someone will throw out a jab at us and then all of a sudden

you literally will have thousands of Jaguars tweeting directly at the person...the thing is with our team and Jaguars Twitter, specifically, is we're allowed to bash one another, but if someone bashes one of us from the outside, you're gonna have a whole entire pack of angry Jaguars Twitter fans attacking you and holding down the fort, and making sure the Jaguars are held in the right respect they're supposed to be, so I just want to thank Jaguars Twitter.”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastFor Lauren, do Cleveland fans really think they're cursed?

“They do. They really think that they're cursed. I think that the Cavaliers winning the championship this year....I think it's been lifted. You go look, you look online and you see the parade that they had...You would've thought that Cleveland was New York City, just based off of that glorious victory. I'm so happy for Cleveland that they were finally able to do it, and it's opened a lot o doors that I think were closed for a long time...Cleveland fan base, they are strong...I think the championship and their victory (represents) a whole new world of opportunity and hope for them.”



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastThe best food to get down in Florida

Chris → “I would say if you're coming down here, you need to experience some good southern BBQ. There's tons of really delicious BBQ places around here. I'm talking slow-roasted, 24 hours on a pit, melt in your mouth BBQ...Beyond that, there's just a bunch of really unique restaurants...Anything from some of the local breweries to some of the local restaurants...”




The Jaguars dark horse breakout star for 2016

Chris → Yannick Ngakoue and TJ Yeldon

Lauren → Yannick Ngakoue



Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastSocial Media All-Stars to Follow

Lauren → “I just really gotta give it to our fans...They are so receptive to what we're giving them on a daily basis...”

Chris → “I would definitely say following your Mashables...But I would go back one second and give a shoutout to Uncle Chapps...He is one of the ain rallying point when it comes to Jaguars Twitter...He is just a very funny follow. Not safe for work at all times...[Chris tells about a crazy time he trolled and fooled Adam Schefter on Twitter!]




Where to find the Jaguars and Lauren + Chris on social media

Lauren → @LaurenMWhitaker on Twitter

Chris → @Digital_Jag on Twitter and other platforms

Jaguars → @Jaguars on all platforms




Thanks so much to Jamie O'Grady for joining the Digital & Social Media Sports podcast!

For more info on the podcast, check out http://www.DSMSports.net and follow me @njh287


http://www.DSMSports.net/