House of Highlights: Perfecting Instagram Story Takeovers

👋 Welcome back to Sponcon Sports, a weekly newsletter dedicated to sponsored content strategy in the sports industry!

I’ve given out many tips and tricks on how to find sponsored content ideas, but the most underrated of the bunch is simply watching more live sports (shows and games).

There’s just something about live broadcasts that sparks the most creative puns and ideas for branded segments.

Here are a few gems I’ve come across:

• “Eye Candy”: Perfect for candy brands.

• “Wake Up Call”: Tailor-made for sleep, coffee, or morning-focused products.

• “Winning Ingredients”: A natural fit for food brands emphasizing quality ingredients.

With the Australian Open in full swing, I’ve been diving into how the tournament is coming to life digitally for a future edition of the newsletter. That led me to their live YouTube show, AO Bluezone. During the show, Blair Henley dropped a fantastic idea that’s now on my list: “Shampoo and Conditions.”

How could this come to life for a haircare brand? Here are a few ideas:

• Instagram Stories on game-day weather: Highlight how conditions could impact play.

• Location previews: Think track conditions for motorsports, course previews in golf or snow sports, or even swell conditions for surfing.

• Stadium roof updates: Is the roof open or closed? Simple but engaging.

• Stats-driven content: Showcase performance data tied to specific conditions, like home vs. away games, blitz situations, two-strike counts, or playing back-to-back days.

Digital ideas don’t have to come from digital channels. Inspiration is everywhere—you just have to know where to look. So next time you’re tuning in, keep an ear out for puns and concepts that could elevate your next campaign.

In Today’s Edition:

• How To Build A+ IGS Takeovers 🏗️ 

• Lola Bunny Is Unrivaled 🐰

• Raptors’ Hometown Hidden Gems 💎

🏊️ DEEP DIVE
The Secret To A Winning Instagram Story Takeover

In sports media, House of Highlights sets the standard for maximizing sponsored content on Instagram Stories.

HoH does it through branded takeovers. Last year, their Google Pixel takeovers were some of my favorite activations of 2024.

Their recent partnership with Disney+ to promote Goosebumps: The Vanishing (season two of the revived anthology series) is another prime example.

The activation featured an eight-frame Story titled “Vanishing Leads,” where fans rated NBA comebacks on a scale from “Saw it coming” to “Unbelievable.”

How does House of Highlights’ approach to Instagram Story takeovers make it a winning format?

1. They create a clear connection between the brand and the content.

   • Highlighting NBA comebacks tied naturally to the theme of “vanishing,” linking the show to sports in a way that feels organic to House of Highlights’ followers.

   • Subtle design details, like Goosebumps' iconic green slime and a mystery-inspired rating scale, reinforced the connection.

2. They choose the right platform and tools.

   • Instagram Stories were ideal for this interactive concept, leveraging engagement stickers like sliders to gamify the experience and keep fans engaged.

   • Stories’ 24-hour lifespan makes it the perfect place to share a literal ad with the lowest odds of frustrating your followers. The trailer effectively teased the show by embedding it within a relevant environment for basketball fans. The link sticker was added to drive traffic to Disney+ for HoH followers to learn more about it.

   • Looking back at the NBA season’s best comebacks during an untraditional time of year (outside the All-Star Break or Offseason) wouldn’t have worked as well in-feed. Placing this activation on Stories with the slider sticker made it more engaging, turning it into an interactive game rather than just a passive viewing experience.

What kind of partner is best for this type of activation?

Instagram Story takeovers are usually a better fit for media partners than team or league partners. Media outlets don’t face the same game-day commitments or extensive sponsorship obligations, making it easier for them to dedicate their platform to a full takeover. They’re also more likely to offer 100% share of voice for the story—like this example for Disney+.

That said, takeovers can work with team or league partners, but they require much more advanced planning to secure a slot in their packed schedules. The offseason isn’t a bad option either as leagues continue to find ways to stay top of mind year-round.

If a team or league can’t offer 100% share of voice, schedule the takeover as close to the Story’s start time as possible. This approach helps reduce audience drop-off and ensures stronger results.

The Takeaway

Sponsored content works best when it prioritizes the audience first. By connecting relevant themes, utilizing platform-specific tools, and delivering in a way that feels natural, brands can deliver memorable campaigns that resonate with fans and deliver results.

🔍️ SPONCONSPIRATION
Steal These Ideas

Just like how hockey teams unveiling their freshly prepared ice is a great sponsored content moment before the season, the Australian Open turned court prep into a winning activation. AO perfectly paired these resurfacing videos (No. 1, No. 2) with their official workplace operations partner, SafetyCulture.

This wasn’t technically AO-sponsored content, but wow—this greenset court resurfacing ASMR video was deeply satisfying.

Unrivaled Basketball partnered with Looney Tunes to create a fun, fan-friendly explainer featuring Lola Bunny. She breaks down five must-know things before tipoff of the inaugural season.

If your club has a back-of-jersey sponsor, use the format from this Juventus-FTBL video. It’s a great way to produce engaging sponsored content that highlights brand value without feeling forced.

BE Ultimate Apparel teamed up with Marques Brownless for Mic’d Up+—a dynamic episode where they tracked his heart rate, calories burned, and distance traveled during a high-stakes game of ultimate. This concept, similar to NBC’s Heart of the Moment series (see Sponsored Content of the Week) in partnership with FIGS for the Olympics, is a perfect fit for healthcare or fitness tech brands.

Hometown Hidden Gems is a clever Toronto Raptors series that shows how Canadian Tire helps fans explore the outdoors through the players’ eyes. The opening scene, where the host quickly shops for supplies, was a great way to integrate the brand without disrupting the flow of the story.

🚨 ICYMI
What To Watch For

Driving Fan Engagement: The Detroit Grand Prix and Detroit Auto Show teamed up to engage auto enthusiasts where they already are. Together, they’re creating relevant experiences that build excitement for the IndyCar race and deepen fan connections with drivers.

In-Flight Entertainment: If your team partners with Delta Air Lines, you should consider an increased emphasis on YouTube content. Delta’s new partnership with the platform lets SkyMiles Members access YouTube Premium—an opportunity for creative, in-flight activations.

Brand Integration Case Study: Luis Conte and Teddy Trenowden reveal how @chrismd.official’s Frubes-sponsored campaign hit 700K+ views with seamless brand integration.

Spectrum Sprint IRL: The Philadelphia 76ers debuted their new Web3 mobile game, Spectrum Sprint presented by Crypto.com, at Wells Fargo Center. On select Spirit of 76 games, fans can try it out at the pop-up arcade near the 11th Street concourse entrance.

Data-Powered Sponcon: Stats Perform shared 20 ways data created strategically relevant sponsored content for brand partners.

Unlocking Fan Value: Dominyck Bullard breaks down how top athletic programs are using fan data to maximize profits under the new revenue-sharing model [via Power Play Newsletter].

Poolside Partnership: Talk about a perfect match: The Arizona Diamondbacks have named Aiper their Official Robotic Pool Cleaner, keeping the Chase Field pool spotless all season long.