From May 6 to 10, Salzburg Global hosted its annual Culture, Arts and Society program. With the theme Creating Futures: Art and AI for Tomorrow's Narratives, this program brought together 50 participants from around the world, including artists, technologists, futurists, curators, activists, and other leaders in their field. This publication is a collection of pieces meant to capture some of the captivating discussions that took place during the week.

Digital Fandomonium: Psychology-based Engagement and Media Strategy in Sports

Being a sports fan is not a new concept. What has changed however are the ways in which we identify with and experience sport. Published in 2018, this report contains three main sections to explore sport and fan identity as multidimensional experiences: Identification, The 3Es: Emotion, Engagement, Experience, and Brand Building.

Using three highly visible promotional videos from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), we perform a critical examination of the UFC’s branding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing content analysis grounded in brand psychology and narrative persuasion, we deconstruct the visual communication and story-based elements within this advertising to reveal how the company has adopted an identity of heroic dominance and defiance.

This persona is built from a cognitively biased and framed suggestive notion which the UFC uses to market themselves as the lone organization fearless enough to “conquer” COVID-19 through the continuation of live events and overcoming obstacles posed by government regulation and media criticism.

Being a sports fan is not a new concept. What has changed however are the ways in which we identify with and experience sport. The evolution of sport media consumption has progressively become more digitally-centered and immersive with the adoption of platforms such as social media and virtual reality. This emphasis in technology means that team identification is likely stimulated by new patterns of digital media consumption and participation.

This dissertation aims to explore sports’ mental market from an emotional and digital perspective, asking what are the components of a multidimensional sport experience and what impact does social media have on it and team identification.

How is COVID-19 changing the way we connect? Hosted by We Are Social’s Chief Strategy Officer, Mobbie Nazir and Global Head of Cultural Insights, Lore Oxford, Unprecedented? is a new webinar series from We Are Social’s global network. Focusing on how we stay connected, entertained and informed, we explore how Covid-19 is changing the way we behave online, and what it means for brands – not just in the coming months, but in the long-term. n goes here

Industries are scrambling to figure out how to effectively integrate technology into their business. Increasing your brand’s presence in the digital space is wise. But do you know what you’re offering your audience and potential customers? This presentation explores what an experience is, how it connects to brands, and the point of technology by taking it back to the fundamentals of human connection. (Originally published 2015)

What is the fan perception of watching live sports in virtual reality? Is there a demand for a more immersive, interactive environment in live sports consumption? This presentation highlights a research study conducted by two Media Psychologists to determine the efficacy and suggestions of using VR as a platform to consume live sports.

This presentation explores the emotional and digital gridirons of how contemporary fandom are experienced and expressed. (Originally published 2016)

An exploration of sports media and marketing as a transmedia property to amplify the fan experience. (Originally published 2017)

Data visualization = storytelling. In order to build audience growth and retention in a landscape saturated with content, brands must differentiate themselves. This presentation highlights a framework founded in organizational psychology to address brand storytelling with data – The 3Es: Emotion, Engagement, and Experience.

3Es Framework conceptualized by Dr. Tunisha Singleton, 2016.