Miami HEAT

Unpacking Triple Whale's Central Role in the Miami HEAT's 2023 Playoff Run

Customer:

Miami HEAT

Industry:

Professional Sports

Features:

Summary, Pixel, Insights, Mobile App

+275%

Growth in revenue during the playoffs (vs. prior 45 days)

15-20

Hours saved weekly analyzing performance, extracting insights, and optimizing ads

Trusted source of truth with Triple Whale

The Miami HEAT's journey to the 2023 NBA Finals stands as a testament to the unpredictable and thrilling nature of sports. The HEAT clinched their postseason spot with an extraordinary shot from Max Strus in the final moments of the second play-in game. This unexpected turn of events demanded swift strategy adjustments for the team's performance marketing.

While the regular season saw the HEAT operate more like a traditional ecommerce business, the unpredictable playoff spotlight required dynamic strategies and real-time adaptability. The stark contrast between the regular-season marketing and the urgent playoff pivot sets the stage for our story.

Luckily, the HEAT were already well-acquainted with Triple Whale. We spoke with Matthew Strelitz, the Director of Performance Marketing for the HEAT, to get an inside look on the HEAT's ecommerce strategy throughout the 2023 season.

SPOILER ALERT: The 2022-23 NBA Playoffs marked the highest-grossing 45-day run in Miami HEAT history. Let's dive in to see how Triple Whale played a pivotal role in this success.

Check out our blog post for more on the story!

Not Having the Answers to Really Difficult Questions

Challenges

To understand why the Miami HEAT had already adopted Triple Whale, our narrative starts in the 2018-19 season. It was Dwyane Wade's final year, and with the introduction of the popular Vice Nights jerseys, there was a surge of excitement that propelled the growth of the Miami HEAT’s ecommerce business. The subsequent year saw continued success and investment in further ecommerce expansion.

However, the positive momentum shifted due to the combined effects of the iOS 14 update and the pandemic, leading to unprecedented challenges

Loss of Data Clarity: The iOS 14 update disrupted the Miami HEAT's paid strategy, clouding data and attribution clarity. This not only made it challenging to discern the return on their marketing investments but also raised concerns about whether their growth was authentic and sustainable, rather than being driven by superficial metrics.

Urgency to Maintain Business Vitality: Despite the interruption of the basketball season due to the global pandemic, there was an urgency to keep the business alive as the broader ecommerce industry soared. The HEAT were determined to capitalize on this opportunity, despite the challenges posed by data loss and attribution confusion.

‍Adapting to The Volatility of Playoff Success: While reaching the playoffs is the goal of every NBA team, it presents many new challenges.. Greater attention, new customers, heightened stakes, and unpredictability make it imperative to adapt quickly and confidently to capitalize on the opportunity.

“The NBA was the first league to turn the lights back on with the bubble in Orlando. So much opportunity was right there. And then of course we make that Finals run. So that was not a time to be shy just because we had data loss and some confusion with attribution. Leadership understood that and leaned in. However, that patience runs out eventually, and you can't just keep putting your foot on the gas pedal without having full court vision of what's going on.” Matthew Strelitz, Director of Performance Marketing

Solution

In their search for a solution to the above challenges, the Miami HEAT found Triple Whale. This came at a time when the organization needed to restore visibility into their data and understand the effects of their marketing efforts more precisely.

Triple Whale became the Miami HEAT’s beacon:

Real-Time Data Analysis: Triple Whale enabled the Miami HEAT the to immediately assess the effectiveness of their campaigns and promotional strategies. This proved especially crucial during major games and throughout the playoffs.

Data Accessibility & Transparency: By consolidating all pertinent data into one unified platform, Triple Whale provided the Miami HEAT with a 'single source of truth'. This comprehensive perspective of the business amplified confidence within the team and its leadership about the sustainability of their growth, further strengthening the case for increased investment.

‍Granular Data Analysis: Offering a detailed breakdown of data, Triple Whale made it simpler for the team to delve into specific events, such as a particular player's performance or merchandise availability. This in-depth analysis allowed the Miami HEAT understand product performance and preference across various marketing channels and customer cohorts.

“To have that full visibility of all the data that matters––the business health data associated with our ecommerce opportunity––is critical. It's armed me with so much more value and context that I can bring to the table… Having an unbiased data source has been huge for us.” Matthew Strelitz, Director of Performance Marketing

Strategy

The Miami HEAT’s prior experience with Triple Whale became invaluable once they reached the 2023 Playoffs.

The shift from regular season to playoff mode requires a dynamic change in strategy. As the stakes rise, so does the need for quick, informed decision-making and fan-focused campaigns. In the case of the Miami HEAT, this transition was made much easier with the use of Triple Whale. Let's dive into the distinctive strategies deployed during the regular season and how they adapted for the playoffs.

Regular Season Strategy:

Lifecycle Marketing Funnel: During the regular season, Miami HEAT focused on building intentional lifecycle marketing funnels. With insights from Triple Whale, they understood how to encourage third, fourth, and fifth purchases. This helped them optimize customer retention and increase the lifetime value of their customers.

Strategic Product Launches: Miami HEAT leaned heavily into a strategic cadence of product launches and promotional campaigns. They used Triple Whale's Pixel data to evaluate the effectiveness of these promotions and adjusted their tactics based on what resonated with their audience.

Adaptive Media Buying: Triple Whale's granular data allowed the Miami HEAT to adapt their media buying strategies throughout the season. The HEAT used a granular ad structure for their Facebook and Google campaigns, allowing them to lean into or pull away from certain player-focused strategies based on player availability, performance, and gameplay outcomes.

Playoff Strategy:

Rapid Response to Game Outcomes: In the high-stakes environment of the playoffs, every game's outcome dictates the next marketing move. Traditional platform attribution data was too slow, leaving much to instinct rather than informed decision-making. However, with Triple Whale's real-time and reliable data, the Miami HEAT were empowered to make instantaneous adjustments based on live game outcomes. This rapid, data-driven approach, made possible by Triple Whale, ensured the HEAT maximized their return on investment and operated at the speed the playoffs demanded.

Strategic Prospecting Amidst Playoff Spotlight: As the HEAT advanced in the playoffs, the broader attention presented unparalleled customer acquisition opportunities. Triple Whale's granular metrics on new customers helped validate and guide the HEAT's aggressive prospecting strategy with confidence. This real-time data informed the mix of platform, message, and product to captivate both domestic and global audiences. While many of these fans were uncharted territory for the HEAT's marketing, Triple Whale's insights ensured the team could swiftly adapt and confidently convert this playoff fervor into a larger, engaged fanbase.

Enhanced Post-Purchase Upsells: Understanding that fans are more likely to make emotion driven purchases during the exciting playoff season, Miami HEAT further intensified their post-purchase upsell strategies to maximize revenue. They used Triple Whale’s data to understand what additional products customers might be interested in and targeted their upsell efforts accordingly.

“Over the last 4 to 5 years, we’ve made a commitment to transformation; going from being data-driven in mindset to data-driven in practice. And that is especially true with our performance marketing program. Triple Whale has played a pivotal role in helping inform and guide that transformation across our paid media strategies, which have propelled our business’ ecommerce growth trajectory.” Michael McCullough, EVP and CMO

The 2023 NBA Playoffs marked highest-grossing 45-day run in Miami HEAT history, surpassing retail sales records set throughout past championship seasons, the Big 3 Era, and the 2020 NBA Finals.

Explore the deep ocean of e-commerce & analytics.

Get a tour

"This year's NBA Finals run was uncharted territory for us as a performance marketing team, and Triple Whale played a central role in how we navigated those times. TW empowered us to confidently (and profitably) scale ad spend to record-level heights and generate record-level retail growth during this unique and highly opportunistic 45-day Playoff run."

Matthew Strelitz

Director of Performance Marketing

Unpacking Triple Whale's Central Role in the Miami HEAT's 2023 Playoff Run

Customer:

Miami HEAT

Industry:

Director of Performance Marketing

+275%

Growth in revenue during the playoffs (vs. prior 45 days)

15-20

Hours saved weekly analyzing performance, extracting insights, and optimizing ads

Trusted source of truth with Triple Whale

Challenge

However, the positive momentum shifted due to the combined effects of the iOS 14 update and the pandemic, leading to unprecedented challenges

Loss of Data Clarity: The iOS 14 update disrupted the Miami HEAT's paid strategy, clouding data and attribution clarity. This not only made it challenging to discern the return on their marketing investments but also raised concerns about whether their growth was authentic and sustainable, rather than being driven by superficial metrics.

Urgency to Maintain Business Vitality: Despite the interruption of the basketball season due to the global pandemic, there was an urgency to keep the business alive as the broader ecommerce industry soared. The HEAT were determined to capitalize on this opportunity, despite the challenges posed by data loss and attribution confusion.

‍Adapting to The Volatility of Playoff Success: While reaching the playoffs is the goal of every NBA team, it presents many new challenges.. Greater attention, new customers, heightened stakes, and unpredictability make it imperative to adapt quickly and confidently to capitalize on the opportunity.

“The NBA was the first league to turn the lights back on with the bubble in Orlando. So much opportunity was right there. And then of course we make that Finals run. So that was not a time to be shy just because we had data loss and some confusion with attribution. Leadership understood that and leaned in. However, that patience runs out eventually, and you can't just keep putting your foot on the gas pedal without having full court vision of what's going on.” Matthew Strelitz, Director of Performance Marketing

Solution

Triple Whale became the Miami HEAT’s beacon:

Real-Time Data Analysis: Triple Whale enabled the Miami HEAT the to immediately assess the effectiveness of their campaigns and promotional strategies. This proved especially crucial during major games and throughout the playoffs.

Data Accessibility & Transparency: By consolidating all pertinent data into one unified platform, Triple Whale provided the Miami HEAT with a 'single source of truth'. This comprehensive perspective of the business amplified confidence within the team and its leadership about the sustainability of their growth, further strengthening the case for increased investment.

‍Granular Data Analysis: Offering a detailed breakdown of data, Triple Whale made it simpler for the team to delve into specific events, such as a particular player's performance or merchandise availability. This in-depth analysis allowed the Miami HEAT understand product performance and preference across various marketing channels and customer cohorts.

“To have that full visibility of all the data that matters––the business health data associated with our ecommerce opportunity––is critical. It's armed me with so much more value and context that I can bring to the table… Having an unbiased data source has been huge for us.” Matthew Strelitz, Director of Performance Marketing

Explore the deep ocean of e-commerce & analytics.

Get a tour

Unpacking Triple Whale's Central Role in the Miami HEAT's 2023 Playoff Run

The 2023 NBA Playoffs marked the highest-grossing 45-day run in Miami HEAT history, surpassing retail sales records set throughout past championship seasons, the Big 3 era, and the 2020 NBA Finals. Triple Whale played a pivotal role in this success, read the case study to see how.

THE RESULTS

+275%

Growth in revenue during the playoffs (vs. prior 45 days)

15-20

Hours saved weekly analyzing performance, extracting insights, and optimizing ads

Trusted source of truth with Triple Whale

THE RESULTS

+275%

Growth in revenue during the playoffs (vs. prior 45 days)

15-20

Hours saved weekly analyzing performance, extracting insights, and optimizing ads

Trusted source of truth with Triple Whale

Matthew Strelitz

Director of Performance Marketing

about

Miami HEAT

Discover more about

Miami HEAT

Overview

Challenge

However, the positive momentum shifted due to the combined effects of the iOS 14 update and the pandemic, leading to unprecedented challenges

Loss of Data Clarity: The iOS 14 update disrupted the Miami HEAT's paid strategy, clouding data and attribution clarity. This not only made it challenging to discern the return on their marketing investments but also raised concerns about whether their growth was authentic and sustainable, rather than being driven by superficial metrics.

Urgency to Maintain Business Vitality: Despite the interruption of the basketball season due to the global pandemic, there was an urgency to keep the business alive as the broader ecommerce industry soared. The HEAT were determined to capitalize on this opportunity, despite the challenges posed by data loss and attribution confusion.

‍Adapting to The Volatility of Playoff Success: While reaching the playoffs is the goal of every NBA team, it presents many new challenges.. Greater attention, new customers, heightened stakes, and unpredictability make it imperative to adapt quickly and confidently to capitalize on the opportunity.

“The NBA was the first league to turn the lights back on with the bubble in Orlando. So much opportunity was right there. And then of course we make that Finals run. So that was not a time to be shy just because we had data loss and some confusion with attribution. Leadership understood that and leaned in. However, that patience runs out eventually, and you can't just keep putting your foot on the gas pedal without having full court vision of what's going on.” Matthew Strelitz, Director of Performance Marketing

Solution

Triple Whale became the Miami HEAT’s beacon:

Real-Time Data Analysis: Triple Whale enabled the Miami HEAT the to immediately assess the effectiveness of their campaigns and promotional strategies. This proved especially crucial during major games and throughout the playoffs.

Data Accessibility & Transparency: By consolidating all pertinent data into one unified platform, Triple Whale provided the Miami HEAT with a 'single source of truth'. This comprehensive perspective of the business amplified confidence within the team and its leadership about the sustainability of their growth, further strengthening the case for increased investment.

‍Granular Data Analysis: Offering a detailed breakdown of data, Triple Whale made it simpler for the team to delve into specific events, such as a particular player's performance or merchandise availability. This in-depth analysis allowed the Miami HEAT understand product performance and preference across various marketing channels and customer cohorts.

“To have that full visibility of all the data that matters––the business health data associated with our ecommerce opportunity––is critical. It's armed me with so much more value and context that I can bring to the table… Having an unbiased data source has been huge for us.” Matthew Strelitz, Director of Performance Marketing

Results

The Miami HEAT’s prior experience with Triple Whale became invaluable once they reached the 2023 Playoffs.

Regular Season Strategy:

Lifecycle Marketing Funnel: During the regular season, Miami HEAT focused on building intentional lifecycle marketing funnels. With insights from Triple Whale, they understood how to encourage third, fourth, and fifth purchases. This helped them optimize customer retention and increase the lifetime value of their customers.

Strategic Product Launches: Miami HEAT leaned heavily into a strategic cadence of product launches and promotional campaigns. They used Triple Whale's Pixel data to evaluate the effectiveness of these promotions and adjusted their tactics based on what resonated with their audience.

Adaptive Media Buying: Triple Whale's granular data allowed the Miami HEAT to adapt their media buying strategies throughout the season. The HEAT used a granular ad structure for their Facebook and Google campaigns, allowing them to lean into or pull away from certain player-focused strategies based on player availability, performance, and gameplay outcomes.

Playoff Strategy:

Rapid Response to Game Outcomes: In the high-stakes environment of the playoffs, every game's outcome dictates the next marketing move. Traditional platform attribution data was too slow, leaving much to instinct rather than informed decision-making. However, with Triple Whale's real-time and reliable data, the Miami HEAT were empowered to make instantaneous adjustments based on live game outcomes. This rapid, data-driven approach, made possible by Triple Whale, ensured the HEAT maximized their return on investment and operated at the speed the playoffs demanded.

Strategic Prospecting Amidst Playoff Spotlight: As the HEAT advanced in the playoffs, the broader attention presented unparalleled customer acquisition opportunities. Triple Whale's granular metrics on new customers helped validate and guide the HEAT's aggressive prospecting strategy with confidence. This real-time data informed the mix of platform, message, and product to captivate both domestic and global audiences. While many of these fans were uncharted territory for the HEAT's marketing, Triple Whale's insights ensured the team could swiftly adapt and confidently convert this playoff fervor into a larger, engaged fanbase.

Enhanced Post-Purchase Upsells: Understanding that fans are more likely to make emotion driven purchases during the exciting playoff season, Miami HEAT further intensified their post-purchase upsell strategies to maximize revenue. They used Triple Whale’s data to understand what additional products customers might be interested in and targeted their upsell efforts accordingly.

“Over the last 4 to 5 years, we’ve made a commitment to transformation; going from being data-driven in mindset to data-driven in practice. And that is especially true with our performance marketing program. Triple Whale has played a pivotal role in helping inform and guide that transformation across our paid media strategies, which have propelled our business’ ecommerce growth trajectory.” Michael McCullough, EVP and CMO

The 2023 NBA Playoffs marked highest-grossing 45-day run in Miami HEAT history, surpassing retail sales records set throughout past championship seasons, the Big 3 Era, and the 2020 NBA Finals.