#02 Sports Fan Engagement Campaign and Featured AI Tool - Gupshup.ai

TikTok-CAF Content Partnership – AFCON 2023

📍 Rights Holder: Confederation of African Football (CAF)
📱 Platform: TikTok
🏆 Competition: Africa Cup of Nations 2023 (hosted Jan–Feb 2024)

🔍 The Initiative

TikTok partnered with CAF to supercharge fan engagement across Africa. All CAF match events, including press conferences and training sessions, were live-streamed on TikTok. A dedicated “#OurAFCON” hashtag hub aggregated fan and creator content. Top African TikTok creators were flown to the semi-finals and final, blending official coverage with influencer storytelling to engage younger audiences continent-wide.

💡 Why It Worked

✅ Leveraged influencer storytelling to reach Gen Z and millennial fans organically.
✅ Centralized content under the “#OurAFCON” hashtag for easy discovery and sharing.
✅ Provided live access to behind-the-scenes and official events, enhancing fan connection.
✅ Combined official CAF content with creator-led narratives for authenticity.
✅ Encouraged user-generated content, making fans feel part of the tournament experience.

📊 Outcome

• CAF’s TikTok account gained over 8.8 million followers.

• Fans shared 390,000 AFCON-tagged videos, demonstrating high engagement.

• Live-streaming of match events and creator collaborations expanded reach across Africa.

• Enhanced CAF’s digital footprint and strengthened fan connections, particularly among younger audiences.

Gupshup.ai

👀What Gupshup Does & Its USP

Gupshup is a leading conversational AI platform that enables businesses to automate and personalize customer interactions across various channels. Its unique selling proposition lies in offering industry-trained, multimodal AI agents capable of executing tasks, maintaining real-time context, and delivering human-like conversations. This approach enhances customer engagement, drives sales, and streamlines support processes.

🌟Product/Tool Explained (in 5 Bullet Points)

• AI Agent Library: Offers over 15 pre-built agents for lead generation, product discovery, collections, order management, and more.

• Conversational Cloud: A SaaS platform that facilitates the creation and management of AI-driven conversations across channels like WhatsApp, RCS, Voice, Web, and Mobile Apps.

• Campaign Manager: Automates and optimizes multichannel campaigns for high engagement and conversions.

• Personalization Engine: Delivers tailored experiences by analyzing user behavior and preferences.

• Analytics Dashboard: Provides insights into conversation metrics, helping businesses refine strategies and improve outcomes.

🚀Features & Functionality

• Multimodal Interactions: Supports text, voice, and rich media across various platforms.

• Real-Time Context Management: Maintains conversation context for seamless interactions.

• Task Automation: Automates processes like lead qualification, order tracking, and customer support.

• Omnichannel Engagement: Engages customers across multiple touchpoints, including social media and messaging apps.

• Integration Capabilities: Easily integrates with CRM, ERP, and other enterprise systems.

🧍Management Team

• Beerud Sheth – Co-founder & CEO

• Krishna Tammana – Chief Technology Officer

• Gaurav Kachhawa – Chief Product Officer

• Indranil Roy – Chief Financial Officer

• Vartika Verma – Global VP Marketing

• Mike Vander Kooi – SVP, Global Sales & Field Operations

📊Case Study Highlights

• IPL Fan Engagement: Implemented AI-driven WhatsApp chatbots to gamify fan interactions, increasing engagement during the IPL season.

• During the IPL 2024 season, Gupshup partnered with various brands to integrate AI-driven WhatsApp chatbots, transforming passive viewership into interactive fan experiences. These chatbots facilitated real-time quizzes, match predictions, and fantasy league participation, all accessible via WhatsApp, a platform familiar to millions of Indian users.

🧠Why It Matters for Sports Marketers & Sponsors

• Enhanced Fan Engagement: AI agents can provide personalized interactions, keeping fans engaged beyond live events.

• Real-Time Updates: Deliver instant match updates, ticket information, and merchandise promotions.

• Data-Driven Insights: Analyze fan behavior to tailor marketing strategies and sponsorship opportunities.

• Scalable Solutions: Handle large volumes of interactions during peak events like tournaments or matches.

• Cost Efficiency: Reduce the need for extensive customer support teams, reallocating resources to other areas.