Pick 'Em
View the case- Brand
- CFL
- Year
- 2015
- Objective
- Engagement
- Industry
- Entertainment
- Mechanic
- Racing & Sports
- Platform
- Web
- Agency
- Pound & Grain
Objective
The CFL wanted to turn passive TV viewers into season-long participants and pull in a new wave of fans on the strength of fantasy sports' popularity. Registering to play also gave the league an identifiable, marketable fan base it could reach with personalized messaging long after the season ended.
Solution
Fans open pickem.cfl.ca on their phone, no download or entry fee required. Each week they see the upcoming CFL matchups and tap the team they think will win; on any game they can also set a confidence level, so a bold correct call scores higher than a safe one. Picks roll up into a running score on a public season leaderboard, and players can start private groups to compete against friends. It's built to be played on a phone with the game on TV in the background, and the player sitting highest on the leaderboard at season's end wins a trip to the Grey Cup.
Results
Across CFL Game Zone products including Pick 'Em and Fantasy, engagement rates rose up to 9x, conversion through personalized fan content increased 9x, the marketable fan audience grew +215% over two years, retention of marketable fans improved nearly 3x, and opt-out rates fell as low as 0.08%.
- 1
The player opens a free web page on a phone — no app to download — designed as a second-screen companion to a live CFL broadcast, and registers at no cost.
- 2
Each week the game lists every CFL matchup, and the player taps a pick for the team they think will win in each one.
- 3
On top of a straight pick, the player can assign a confidence level to individual matchups, wagering more points on the games they feel surest about.
- 4
Picks lock once the week's games kick off; results are scored afterward and added to the player's running season total.
- 5
Players can form a group and invite friends, adding a private mini-pool leaderboard alongside the main competition.
- 6
The season standings track week over week across the full CFL calendar, from June through the Grey Cup in November.
- 7
Whoever finishes the season atop the leaderboard wins a trip to the Grey Cup, the league's championship game.
