#6 Ryan Cooney, Hennessy – Unlocking the power of fandom as a sports sponsor

Ryan Cooney is Director of Digital & Media at Hennessy, one of the world’s largest alcohol brands and an official partner of the NBA, WNBA and 13 NBA teams. 

Hennessy, part of the Moët Hennessy group, also sponsors the multiple-time world champion boxer Canelo Álvarez. 

But why does Hennessy enjoy so much success engaging sports audiences? How do Ryan and his team unlock the power of fandom in their marketing? And what value does the brand get from its major sponsorship investment? 

In episode six of The Fan Engagement Podcast, you’ll learn: 

• 00:03 Introduction to Ryan and Hennessy  
• 01:47 Why the passion of sports makes sports fans unique 
• 3:08 How boxing creates powerful moments to connect with fans 
• 4:10 Why Hennessy sponsors the NBA and 13 NBA teams 
• 9:06 The differences between team and league-level sponsorships
• 10:32 How to engage fans on digital and measure campaign effectiveness  
• 14:10 Why authentic storytelling is the key to brand awareness and relevance
• 15:47 What KPIs Hennessey uses to measure sponsorship value