Keynote—Chicago Bulls: Sports Partnerships and the Marketing Landscape
Kicking off Day 2 with the opening keynote were Megan Donovan, VP, Partnership Marketing, and Luka Dukich, VP, Content, Chicago Bulls, who showcased how the Bulls leverage global brand equity, influencer partnerships, and content strategy to remain culturally relevant beyond wins and losses. “We want it to be authentic to us. We want it to feel native to us,” said Donovan, emphasizing the importance of aligning brand activations with the team’s identity.
Dukich highlighted the marketing power of Benny the Bull as a brand on his own: “For us, Benny the Bull is like an absolute standout IP. He is an in-house influencer. Benny the Bull has close to six million TikTok followers on his own. That’s more than the Bulls account has, like 2 million.”
From Club Red post-game concerts to Benny the Bull’s standalone IP, the team illustrated how sports franchises can drive omnichannel storytelling, unlock new marketing funnels for partners like Illinois Lottery, and speak directly to micro-communities.