Brands selling everything from recipe books to video games are set to win big during this summer’s sports season, according to new data analysed by The Trade Desk, as major sporting events boost online traffic across a broad range of sites. Traffic on cooking and recipe sites more than doubled (up 105%) during this year’s legendary Champions League Final, compared to the two weeks before – suggesting that it’s not just brands selling shirts, boots and balls that are set to benefit from football mania. Meanwhile, the first few days of the 2018 French Open saw traffic for technology and computer sites increase by a staggering 113% and 158%, respectively, compared to two weeks prior to the event. On this basis, Wimbledon – kicking off today – could be a grand slam for advertisers targeting a technology audience. And while Silverstone’s British Grand Prix next month will inevitably drive motorheads online, The Trade Desk’s data reveals that racing inspires travel too. Traffic on travel-related sites rose 36% during May’s Monaco Grand Prix, compared to the previous fortnight, as the glamourous international tour lured spectators into thinking about their next trip abroad. Sacha Berlik, managing director for EMEA at The Trade Desk, commented: “From the Tour de France to the Taekwondo World Championship, our data shows that major sporting events can have a knock-on effect on a number of – often quite surprising – different categories. With the summer of sport set to dominate our screens over the next few weeks, many brands stand to benefit from the inflated audiences created by these occasions. And by using smart insights like these ones, advertisers will be able pinpoint exactly where to reach them with helpful and inspiring messages.”
The Trade Desk has revealed the impact June sporting events are having on online traffic. This traffic is affecting a wide variety of products, with online sales of recipe books up 113% during the British Grand Prix compared to the two weeks before. The usage of technology and computer sites was up 113% and 113% during summer of the French Open in June , while the British Grand Prix is likely to have an impact on travel sites. Advertisers are targeting these events and develop their personal online platforms in anticipation of higher usage.