The 2024 UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 2024) is poised to captivate audiences worldwide. Euro 2020 drew record attention, with a massive 5.2 billion cumulative viewers and 328 million for the final.

With fans increasingly glued to their smartphones for live updates and content the action extends far beyond the stadium, and mobile advertisers are taking notice.  This presents a golden opportunity for brands to leverage mobile OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) advertising, with mobile OEMs such as Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and others.

Connecting with the passionate Euro 2024 demographic, brands can drive user acquisition through targeted app promotions or branding campaigns during the event.

Mobile Consumption Makes Euro 2024 a Prime Target

In addition to the 5.2 billion cumulative viewers and 328 million for the final between Italy and England, Euro 2020 drew an average of 100 million viewers per match and a unique reach of 1.9 billion across 229 territories and 137 broadcasters, to become a truly global phenomenon.

With 1 in 5 global sports fans using mobile apps to follow sports (YouGov 2023), Euro 2024 presents a prime advertising opportunity, especially with widespread access through free streaming apps in Europe.

Fans Streaming Euro 2024: In Germany (Euro 2024 hosts), both ZDF and the ARP app broadcast live sports for free, ensuring easy access to Euro 2024 for the majority of people during transit commutes. 

Across Europe, viewers can access the tournament for free via various platforms:

• Austria: ORF and ServusTV
• Belgium: RTBF and VRT
• France: 6play and TF1
• Germany: ARD, RTL, and ZDF
• Italy: RAI and TV8
• Norway: NRK
• Netherlands: NOS
• Spain: RTVE
• UK: BBC iPlayer and ITVX 

Full list of broadcast and streaming partners for UEFA EURO 2024 around the world.

This widespread mobile access creates a massive and engaged audience for advertisers. Similar to how brands leverage specialists like AVOW for targeted ad placement during Champions League matches on Prime Video, advertisers can utilise similar strategies to connect with football fans throughout Euro 2024.

Reaching Fans in Big Game Moments

Gone are the days of static billboards. Brands are targeting fans directly on their devices, placing them right at the heart of the action.  Imagine just before a major football match: you notice an ad on your mobile device for a new restaurant app in the area with a special free delivery offer. Now you can enjoy your half-time burgers and fries, hassle-free.

This isn’t just a random coincidence. It’s targeted advertising in action.

A surge in mobile shopping during sports events underscores the potential of sports advertising. Let’s take a look at another sport with equally passionate fans. Adjust’s 2023 Super Bowl Sunday report reveals a massive 41% year-over-year increase in shopping app installs during the game, as retailers seize this opportunity by offering discounts and promotions – strategically placing ads to capture the engaged audience.

Mobile OEM Advertising Strategies and The Targeting Advantage

Mobile OEM advertising boasts unmatched targeting capabilities. Reach fans based on demographics, interests, and even specific sporting preferences, all while respecting their privacy and data security. 

Utilise display ads, full-screen videos, and splash ads to engage users and appographic marketing to target users with similar interests.

• Diverse Ad Formats: Utilise display ads, full-screen videos, and splash ads, plus appographic marketing to target users with similar interests. 
• Private Marketplace (PMP) Deals: Bid on specific ad inventories to optimise ad placement at targeted times throughout Euro 2024.
• Customisation: Mobile OEMs Xiaomi and Oppo offer real-time customisation with themes for fans’ favorite football teams, including wallpapers, ringtones, and more.
• Integration: Integrate live score tickers on lock screens and push notifications from native news apps to keep users updated on ongoing matches and events directly from their devices. Popular apps can offer widgets on Android devices delivering personalised updates for effective brand reach.

Xiaomi’s Fan-Centric Offerings

In addition to offering themes and wallpapers of fans’ favorite teams, Xiaomi will introduce a dedicated “Game Card” feature during Euro 2024 and potentially other sporting events – allowing users to view live scores. This innovative feature can be branded and deep-linked for effective branding campaigns, offering brands a unique opportunity to engage with fans.

Mobile OEMs Deepen Ties with Sports

Strategic sponsorships by mobile OEMs like Vivo for Euro 2024 and FIFA World Cup, and OPPO for the Cricket World Cup, UEFA Champions League, and Wimbledon solidify the connection between sports and mobile. This benefits everyone—mobile OEMs gain exposure, marketers reach captivated audiences, and app developers utilise prominent placements.

Capitalising on other Big Sporting Events:

In terms of innovations for fans, at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, AR features were introduced for stadium fans via mobile devices. Similarly, EURO 2024 embraced digital innovation with mobile-only tickets. 

A Golden Opportunity: Reach Millions of Engaged Fans with Mobile OEM Advertising

Partner with AVOW to leverage their expertise in Mobile OEM advertising and achieve a targeted app promotion strategy that scores big during major sporting events like Euro 2024. With access to over 1.5 billion daily active users and exclusive partnerships with OEM inventories such as Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, Realme, and Transsion. AVOW offers unparalleled opportunities for targeted user acquisition.