Adobe & NFL expand partnership to boost fan engagement with AI
Adobe has announced an expansion of its partnership with the National Football League (NFL) to become an Official Partner ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, focusing on delivering enhanced personalised fan experiences using Adobe's AI and creative technologies.
The collaboration will utilise the Adobe Experience Platform, Adobe Firefly, and Adobe Express to increase fan engagement across the NFL and its 32 clubs. These tools are expected to empower fans to generate and share content themed around their favourite teams and players, introducing new NFL-themed templates for customisation across social and digital channels.
The initiative will also enhance live event experiences through the NFL OnePass app, which will enable fans to receive content tailored to their specific interests and preferences in real time. In addition, over 140 NFL Live Content Correspondents will leverage Adobe Creative Cloud tools to produce real-time content from the field, including video and photo updates from every game and exclusive creator content.
This expanded partnership builds upon the NFL Technology Innovation Hub, a programme aimed at integrating emerging technologies in all aspects of professional football, with a particular emphasis on engaging fans across multiple platforms and locations.
According to Tim Ellis, Chief Marketing Officer of the NFL, the partnership puts personalised fan experiences at the forefront. "Everything we do starts with the fan — and today's fans, especially the next generation, want to engage on their terms, in ways that are deeply personal, expressive, and uniquely their own. Through our expanded partnership with Adobe, we're unlocking new levels of creativity, connection, and customisation that empower fans to not only feel closer to the game but also become creators and storytellers of their own NFL journeys."
Through the Adobe Experience Platform, the NFL and its clubs will orchestrate communications based on known fan interests and digital behaviours across properties such as NFL.com, the NFL App, and NFL OnePass. Adobe Journey Optimizer, Firefly, Adobe Customer Journey Analytics, and Adobe Workfront will support project management, audience and campaign development, creative production, performance optimisation, and localisation.
Fan-generated storytelling is a focal point of the partnership. Supporters will have access to new NFL-themed templates via Adobe Express, allowing them to remix, download or share personalised content to celebrate their teams and players. This initiative marks the first time fans can directly participate in content creation using such tools across NFL platforms.
For live event experiences, the NFL OnePass app will incorporate Adobe technology to deliver curated and individualised content to attendees. Alongside this, fans and content creators are encouraged to use custom NFL-themed Adobe Express templates to express their enthusiasm both online and during events.
The league's content strategy will also benefit from the expansion of the Live Content Correspondents programme, with more than 140 correspondents using Adobe Creative Cloud applications such as Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, and Express. These teams are responsible for the rapid creation and distribution of content that appears in brand channels, providing fans with immediate and diverse viewpoints from games and league events.
Adobe's technology will also feature in annual initiatives such as "My Cause, My Cleats," where select NFL players use Adobe products like Firefly and Express to design custom footwear that highlights causes they support. This project is intended to simplify the creative process for players, boosting the visibility of charitable initiatives during dedicated weeks of the season.
Beyond the NFL, Adobe currently works with other prominent sports organisations including Major League Baseball, the National Women's Soccer League, PGA TOUR, and the Adobe Women's Football Association Cup on similar projects to advance digital fan engagement.
Fans will have opportunities to interact with Adobe-powered features and experiences throughout the 2025 NFL season as part of the league's ongoing digital transformation strategy. The partnership is part of the NFL's international expansion and appeal to a new generation of followers, utilising creative and customer experience technology to foster connection and engagement.
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Techday NZ
4 days ago
- Techday NZ
Adobe launches Real-Time CDP Collaboration in Australia, NZ
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Adobe Real-Time CDP Collaboration provides a secure, consent-driven environment that allows us to work closely with advertisers, unlocking data-driven opportunities while respecting consumer privacy. This platform strengthens our commitment to providing solutions that seamlessly integrate with our clients' data platforms." Valerie Walshe, Chief Revenue Officer at TVNZ, highlighted the growing interest in data collaboration, saying, "TVNZ, so far, has partnered with more than 50 brands on data collaboration. This is the largest of any publisher in New Zealand and it's an area which continues to grow for us. The Adobe platform helps us streamline the full process, from sharing insights, to activation, to measurement, giving marketers greater access to TVNZ's rich first-party data. We're excited to unlock new opportunities and business results for marketers in this space." 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RNZ News
5 days ago
- RNZ News
Polynesian pride: Track star with island roots driven by family
Laiana McClinton with medals she has won over her young career. Photo: Supplied Laiana McClinton's family were not surprised when the 17 year old claimed double wins at the Florida State high school athletic meet on May 10. To them, the top of the notch performance was just a continuation of what her relatives had done previously in different sporting codes around the United States of America. The Largo High School junior became the first Polynesian heritage athlete to win the two titles in one meet in Florida, and the second only from her school to claim that, since 1992, when her school claimed that initial victory. With strong ties to Tonga and Samoa, Laiana, as she is fondly called by her family, has been on a tide of achievements, since her first years in school. RNZ Pacific spoke to Laiana, her mother Janesia Tautalatasi and grandfather Siofilisi Kaianuanu Sikahema, and learned a little bit more about the young champion's Polynesian links, with revelation that she also has Fijian ties through her grandpa. She has direct links to Vai Sikahema, the first Tongan heritage player to make it into the NFL or American Football, retiring in 1993 after playing for the Philadelphia Eagles. Vai is Laiana's uncle, her mother's cousin. Grandpa Siofilisi and Vai's dad are brothers. On her grandmother's side, who is from Samoa, Vai is related to Taivale 'Jurnior' Taulatatasi, who played NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. And a cousin of another NFL player, Nicholas 'Nuico' Lamaleava. Laiana McClinton with medals she has won over her young career. Photo: Supplied Mother Janesia said her daughter is a proud 'afakasi', with strong Tongan, Samoan and African American blood ties.. "Yes my daughter, Liana McClinton, have her Polynesian roots deeply rooted with athleticism," she proudly shared with RNZ Pacific. "Her Tongan side, through my father, Siofilisi Kaianuanu Sikahema, who comes from Vava'u in Tonga. His family is not only athletic, but they're also taalented musically, like they're all like musicians. "My father's a musician and probably one of the best 'ukulele' players in in the world, he is very talented. "In the Sikahema family we have the first Tongan to make it to the NFL, which is Vai Sikahema. And that's my first cousin, his father and my dad are our blood brothers." Janesia's mother, Laiana's grandma, is Samoan. "She's full Samoan. Her name is Merita Oilau Tautalatasi and she's from Fangatoa, American Samoa," she said. "Her sister has a grandson, Nicholas 'Nuico' Lamaleava, who played quarterback for Tennessee and went over to UCLA now. "And her brother is Junior Tautalatasi, who also was a Samoan NFL player as well in the early 80s. So, like I said, our athletic ties and you know, runs deep in her Polynesian roots as well." Laiana McClinton with her medals and her relatives after her title wins. Photo: Janesia Tautalatasi Laiana started her athletics career early, running tracks back when she was 10 years old. Mum Janesia said she entered her daughter into a track club in the area where they live. It was the first sport that she played. Janesia shared that she was uncertain what sport her daughter could play, with her older son getting into football. "I didn't know quite know what to do with my daughter and I didn't know which sport she wanted to play," she said. "But the moment that I got her into track when she was 10 years old, I saw that she started finishing in the top three. "Florida is one place where you have alot of fast athletes and very competitive athletes and to see her coming in second place out of 50 or 60 girls in her age group kind of sparked the realization that ok, this might be it. This might be her sport and eventually she started moving up to the 1st place. "Ever since then, every single year, she would run and she'd get first place at every local track meet and it just took off from there until high school an she's been getting better and better every year." Janesia said her wins on May 10 was a culmination of the hard work her daughter and her coachig team have put in over the years. Finishing third in her sophomore year, last year, in the same event pushed Laiana to become the best this year. "She didn't make it quite all the way to the end in the States 100 meter last year when she was a sophomore," Janesia said of her daughter. "That third place kind of gave her the drive that she wanted, the hunger that she wanted to get first place. She definitely worked hard in practice and that was definitely her goal, to make it first place in and she went there, executed and and got the job done." Laiana McClinton stopped the clock at 11.75 seconds in the 100m and 23.67 seconds in the 200m. Photo: Supplied Laiana's wins came as special gifts to her mum and grandpa. It was Mother's Day that weekend and also her grandfather, Siofilisi's birthday. And it was a special week in the Florda State being Pasifika Heritage Week. "It was the day before Mother's Day and actually the day before my dad's birthday," Janesia shared. "The Florida High School State Championship was in Jacksonville, which is about four hours away from where we currently live in Tampa and we drove all the way out there. "We had a lot of family that drove down there to watch her compete because we kind of knew this was going to be a special competition where she would take first place. "We just knew that this would probably be the moment and it was definitely a rewarding feeling, especially right before Mother's Day. "It's a one of the biggest rewards as a mother to see your daughter strive to be the greatest version of herself. She's worked so hard, to make it at this point and represent her family. I think she really did this to represent her family and you know, her culture. And it's just a it's a big thing for her." Grandpa Siofilisi was part of the family contingent that drove to watch Laiana in action. He said it was a proud moment for him to witness his grandddaughter win not one but two titles on the day. "This is the best birthday present Laiana gave to me on my birthday," the 76 year old well-known Tongan musician said. "Everything she do is so nice, she is my favourite girl and she makes me really happy and she has made the whole family very happy." Siofilisi said that he never dreamt that he would see the day when such a feat would be achieved by a family member. But he is grateful for the decision he made to leave Tonga as a young 18 year old musician, going through Japan first before finally making it to the States. He shared his music career and the chanced opportunity he had to meet a Japanese man who offered him a lifeline to a better future. "I grew up in Tonga and played at Dateline Hotel with a band over there," he revealed. "In 1973 I was 18 years old and a Janese guy came from Tokyo and stayed at the hotel. I didn't know that he is a millionaire from Tokyo. "He can see me play music in Dateline hotel and he asked me "you want to go to Japan". "I was 18 years old and he told me straight from Dateline to Japan in 1973 and I got to play in his hotel." After a year in Tokyo Siofilisi asked his Japanese friend if they could go and visit San Fransisco, because his (Siofilisi's) parents lived there. "So, he took me from Japan to Frisco and I got there in 1974," he said. "And I went to see Disneyworld and Disneyworld hired me to go open the first Disneyworld out of America in Tokyo. I went to open the Dismeyworld in Tokyo in 1983. Then we moved to the States after that and have been here since." He said he has enjoyed watching his family members grow and excel in different sports in the States, while also seeing the family growing in their music and entertainment circle. "We have continued to be involved with music here and our family continues to do that," he said. "And to see my family members take up sports and do so well here it just makes me happy. I really enjoy watching the sports they play and I know it makes me live longer because I am 76 years old now." For the young Laiana, the sky is the limit right now. There is the opportunity to represent Samoa or Tonga and even Fiji in the future, if she does not make it into Team USA. But her focus is on achieving a repeat in 2026, in the senior competition. "The next steps this year are definitely make it to States because I have one more year of high school left, so we have to go through our regular season of track and then we have districts, regionals and then States," she said. "And so after making it through all of them, that will bring me back to Jacksonville again to hopefully win the 100m and 200 meter dash again for the second time in year and my senior year." She replayed her preparation for her wins on May 10, saying she just kept her focus, started well and ran with her all strength. "Well, initially, I have a very big sense of being humble knowing that anything can happen, that sometimes the time might not be right," she revealed to RNZ Pacific. "God's plan for me is always, and it's always about timing. So before my 100 meter, I was just really locked in, just ready to execute. It's a big thing to execute your race and it is always important not to rush the process. "That was the first time I really executed my full race to my full capabilities and that led to me winning the 100 meter dash on that stage and it made me feel so proud and happy that all this work that I've been putting in was worth something. "For the 200, I was already pumped up after the 100 metre win and coming off that curve I knew it was just me and the tides, just me and the clock. "I was so happy that I was able come and compete and win and it was like make my dreams come true. And I knew all my family was there watching, so I had to make everyone proud and I know I couldn't have let them come here for nothing." Laiana said one of the biggest influence for her has been coach Jamar Parker. She said "he has been such a great help. He was my coach since I was younger and he was one of the many coaches that I was blessed to have since I first started track and through the years I've just been working with him and he's just been helping me a lot". Laiana also paid tribute to her family and said they mean everything to her. "It means a lot to me. I do everything for my family," she said. "It's roots like that that is my drive for success. My drive for anything 'cause I know a lot of a lot of other Polynesians they might not get the same support, you know, coming from the islands. "But my family is like my main drive and they're always at my meet, supporting and knowing that they're in the stands cheering for me. "Usually, I don't hear anything when I'm racing. But as soon as I'm off the track, they all come swarm me and it just makes me so happy to see that my hard work is being watched, and they're able to see my success. We all get to enjoy it and embrace the moment." Laiana is excited about opportunities to represent her Polynesian links and will make that decision when the time comes.
Techday NZ
22-05-2025
- Techday NZ
AI adoption soars as data & personalisation top priorities
Adobe has released its 2025 AI and Digital Trends report for Australia and New Zealand, finding accelerated adoption of artificial intelligence across brands in the region along with persistent challenges in data management and personalisation. According to the report, based on a survey of 262 executives and 945 consumers across Australia and New Zealand, the proportion of brands formally deploying and evaluating generative AI solutions has risen from 14% in 2024 to 29% in 2025, marking the fastest rate of growth in Asia Pacific. The findings show that 12% of executives already have generative AI solutions delivering consistent and measurable return on investment, which is in line with global averages. Additionally, 24% of brands indicated they are running pilot programmes with generative AI as they explore the technology's potential. Surveyed senior leaders report notable benefits gained from AI-driven personalisation, with 45% saying it has improved customer engagement. Despite this, the consumer perspective reveals a gap: only 35% of respondents feel that they receive personalised recommendations and offers, compared to 62% who express a desire for such personalisation. The report highlights that 53% of executives are experiencing increased pressure to enhance customer engagement and conversion, as changing consumer expectations for personalisation continue to climb. Adobe's findings further indicate that brands in the region are targeting personalisation as the top business priority for 2025, ahead of efforts to unify data and expand AI usage more broadly. Despite growing adoption, data management issues remain an obstacle. Four in five (82%) executives stated that siloed data across online and offline sources hinders their ability to deliver real-time personalisation. As a result, customer data management has become a top technology investment area for the next 12 to 24 months. Evaluating the effectiveness of these investments will largely depend on their ability to ensure strong data protection and privacy practices. The research found that 59% of brands see governance, compliance, and data privacy as the largest barriers to scaling AI, a figure higher among those just beginning their AI journey. Duncan Egan, Vice President of Enterprise Marketing, Adobe APAC and Japan, commented on the findings: "Local brands have significantly advanced their AI initiatives in the past year, building on a responsible foundation of AI guardrails and data governance essential for scaling. With two in three brands planning to invest in data integration and real-time insights over the next couple of years, it's clear the focus is shifting towards connecting data to help deliver timely, consistent, and relevant customer experiences." Looking ahead, brands see the potential for personalisation not only to improve customer relationships but also to drive broader business growth. Unifying data and leveraging AI are highlighted as ongoing priorities to achieve these goals. Egan also addressed the complex environment for marketing teams: "As AI is rapidly adopted and marketing teams are expected to acquire new skills and supervise higher volumes of content, it can feel overwhelming. This makes agentic AI appealing, given its potential to automate customer engagement and lighten internal workloads. However, new agentic AI applications won't be effective unless they're built on connected data." He added: "These tools, coupled with cross-team collaboration, will ensure businesses can overcome their most significant challenges and continue to unlock AI's full power to achieve personalisation at scale and more importantly, business growth." The 2025 Adobe AI and Digital Trends Australia and New Zealand report underscores the importance for organisations to prioritise data integration, governance, and privacy as they accelerate digital transformation and seek to align with rising consumer expectations in the region.
