Case Study
9 ways the Ryder Cup scored with golf fans on Twitter
The Ryder Cup is one of the most thrilling and anticipated events in golf. Every two years, fans across the world tune in for three days of intense competition between European and American golfers.
During the 42nd Ryder Cup in September 2018, the Ryder Cup Europe teamed up with Twitter to bring the event closer to fans than ever before. Users everywhere were able to watch and engage with every moment from Paris as Europe won the title for the sixth consecutive time on home soil.
Here’s how the tournament played out on Twitter.
Custom hashtags and emojis
For the entire month of September, from the moment the teams were finalized, fans were able to show their support using custom Twitter emojis. The hashtags #RyderCup, #TeamEurope, #GoUSA, and #LeGolfNational all contained exclusive emojis. These hashtags were used more than 275,000 times over the course of the month, with the successful #TeamEurope hashtag being posted more than 118,000 times during the three days of the tournament alone.
Live from the range and the press room
Twitter users were able to tune into the latest from Paris thanks to more than 50 live streams throughout the week. From the captains’ press conferences to inside-the-ropes access during practice rounds, and live coverage of players warming up on the range, Twitter brought users closer than ever to the Ryder Cup, ensuring they didn’t miss a minute of the action.
In-play clips
Whether it was Justin Rose chipping in for birdie on Friday, Alex Noren winning his match on Sunday, or Ian Poulter celebrating in a postbox costume, Ryder Cup Twitter accounts posted the best moments from throughout the week within seconds of them happening. Both teams shared over 100 putts, chips, bogeys, and more throughout the three days of play with more than 10 million near-live highlight views.
Interactive polls
Ahead of the 12 singles matches on Sunday, Ryder Cup Europe created custom Video Poll Cards that told fans who was playing and when, and also allowed users to vote on who they thought would win each match. These posts received over 100,000 votes as fans awaited the final day of the tournament.
User-generated content
While more than 200,000 people attended the Ryder Cup in Paris, millions watched from home wishing they could be part of the action. Throughout the week, Ryder Cup accounts monitored surfaced the best fan-created content from the tournament’s attendees to welcome users around the world into the atmosphere on-site at golf’s biggest event.
GIFs
With all the player celebrations that took place during the Ryder Cup, GIFs provided a perfect way to show those short, passionate moments on Twitter.
Custom score graphics
Using an automated graphics platform, Ryder Cup channels were able to immediately share the latest score on Twitter. These posts provided a way to serve up immediate and informative content for followers with a fun, branded feel.
Taking fans behind the scenes
In conjunction with worldwide partner Aberdeen Standard Investments, the Ryder Cup produced a series of Twitter videos that took fans behind the scenes at Le Golf National. From inside the locker rooms to the largest ever merchandise shop, from the first tee to the official team photos, fans were able to experience more of the Ryder Cup than ever before, all on Twitter.
Fan Q&A
In addition to doing press with the world’s media, players also took time to answer fans’ questions on Twitter using the Q&A app.
In-Stream Video Sponsorships
Brands were also able to align themselves with premium content from Ryder Cup Europe both during the tournament and in the week following the event as the conversation on Twitter continued.
As a worldwide partner, Aberdeen Standard Investments ran a sponsorship campaign that saw its bespoke Ryder Cup pre-roll run ahead of real-time clips from the matches each day of the event. ASI was able to extend its brand association with the Ryder Cup to those fans following along on Twitter, through their bespoke In-Stream Video Sponsorship campaign.