In sports marketing, success often hinges on emotion. Whether it’s the excitement of a last-minute goal, or the pride in a hometown team, sports have the ability to connect with people on a deeply emotional level. Pierumberto Viotto, a seasoned sports marketer at Red Bull, believes that tapping into these feelings is one of the most powerful strategies.
Sport is such a globally relevant phenomenon because it truly speaks to everyone in different ways, creating unique emotions that people can relate with.
The universal language of sport
“Sport is such a globally relevant phenomenon because it truly speaks to everyone in different ways, creating unique emotions that people can relate with,” says Viotto, who is based in Salzburg, Austria. His past work with brands like GoPro has shown that it’s not just about selling a product — it’s about creating an emotional connection with the audience.
For example, in GoPro’s “Be a Hero” campaign, the brand’s action-cameras were marketed not just as products, but as tools that allowed people to capture their personal heroic moments — whether they were climbing mountains or playing in a playground. By focusing on the emotional pull of adventure and self-expression, the US company was able to connect with a much broader audience, according to Viotto.
Making memories through emotion
A 2016 graduate of ESCP’s master in management programme, he says that campaigns driven by emotion tend to leave the most lasting impression, making them memorable long after they’ve ended.
He highlights Chrysler’s 2011 Super Bowl campaign as a prime example of emotional storytelling. The ad didn’t focus on selling a car; instead, it celebrated the city of Detroit, using Eminem’s iconic song Lose Yourself to evoke pride and resilience. “They played on the emotional side of sports marketing, and they achieved glory,” Viotto recalls. This approach reached people far beyond the usual sports crowd.
In his own work at energy drinks brand Red Bull, Viotto leverages emotional storytelling to create memorable campaigns. He recounts a recent project where three-time slacklining world champion Jaan Roose walked across the Messina Strait in Italy, becoming the first person to achieve this feat.
“This simple on paper but very demanding project had the power to bring together Italian consumers regarding a very political topic presented with a complete new and positive twist,” Viotto explains. The emotional connection and storytelling behind the event really made it stand out, helping it catch attention worldwide.
The importance of innovation
Innovation is equally crucial in sports marketing, and Viotto believes that staying ahead requires a combination of networking, curiosity and courage.
He stresses the importance of building a network of experts and being open to ideas from beyond the core circle of athletes. “Athletes are an incredible resource of knowledge, ideas and experience,” he says, but he also warns that their perspectives can sometimes be narrow. To innovate, sports marketers need to look beyond traditional viewpoints and ask challenging questions like, “What if? Why not? What’s next?” he says.
For Viotto, pushing boundaries is essential. “I’m a firm believer that nothing big comes from remaining safe and sound within your comfort zone…There needs to be a disruptive mindset constantly keen to re-discuss the status quo.”
I’m a firm believer that nothing big comes from remaining safe and sound within your comfort zone…There needs to be a disruptive mindset constantly keen to re-discuss the status quo.
New opportunities in sports marketing
Looking ahead, Viotto notices that athletes are taking on a whole new role in sports marketing. They are no longer just participants in marketing campaigns; they are becoming powerful brands in their own right.
“Nowadays, athletes are fully self-sufficient entities,” he notes. As social media and digital platforms continue to grow, athletes can connect with their fans directly and build their own personal brands without needing to depend on traditional marketing channels.
This shift opens up new opportunities for athletes to venture into entrepreneurship, becoming investors, founders and co-owners of businesses, Viotto adds. LeBron James is a standout example. Beyond his NBA success, he co-owns Blaze Pizza, and invested in high-end headphones brand Beats by Dre, acquired by Apple in 2014. He’s also a part-owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool FC, through his stake in the Fenway Sports Group.
Viotto finds this trend exciting because it gives athletes a chance to expand their influence into all sorts of industries. For sports marketers, this means being flexible and always looking for new ways to partner with athlete-entrepreneurs.
Passion is key
Viotto’s path to sports marketing, meanwhile, is a testament to the power of aligning passion with profession. Reflecting on his journey, he recalls: “Since my very first year of the Master in Management in Turin, I knew I wanted to combine my passion for sports and my interest in marketing.” However, like many professionals, his start wasn’t directly within his dream industry.
His initial career in product marketing at home appliances business Indesit (now owned by Whirlpool) in Milan helped him realize that fulfillment comes from working in an industry you are truly passionate about. This realisation led him to an internship at GoPro’s sports marketing department in Munich, an experience that reinforced his desire to build a career in the sports industry.
After completing his studies at ESCP, Viotto joined Red Bull’s global sports marketing team, where he has worked for over eight years. His key takeaway? “It’s all about passion.”