Pete
Scanlon

Pete
Scanlon

Fan-Focused Brand + Creative Strategy

The Memory
Machine

Pete as a young boy on a beach boardwalk in a Red Sox cap, holding a lacrosse stick and grinning.
Pete circa 1991

I'm a fan-focused strategy director who helps brands understand fans and show up meaningfully in sports culture. I've had the pleasure of being embedded inside companies like Google, YouTube, and Bleacher Report, partnering with agencies like Momentum, Game Seven, and 72andSunny, and helping brands shape partnerships with the NHL, NCAA, Aston Martin F1 and more.

I believe sports is the world's most powerful collective memory machine. Few things make people care so deeply, while connecting us to something bigger than ourselves. Yet today, so much of the landscape treats that passion as standard inventory instead of something sacred.

My work is about helping brands earn a place in the memories sports creates. Not by interrupting fandom, but by giving something back to it.

Pete

Collective Memory

How might we earn a place in the memories sports creates?

Ways to work
with Pete

Fan, Team + League Insight

Uncovering the cultural, behavioral, and market truths that drive modern fandom. I translate audience insights and landscape dynamics into actionable intelligence.

Example deliverables

  • Fan Insights + Segmentation
  • Cultural and Subculture Insights + Trends
  • Competitive Audits + Analysis
  • Surveys, Interviews + Focus Groups

Brand Strategy

Defining what an organization stands for, its core values and place in the competitive landscape. This centers the strategy on what a brand does best and what its audiences value.

Example deliverables

  • Mission, Vision + Purpose
  • Brand Narrative + Archetype
  • Brand + Partnership Positioning
  • Sponsorship Strategy + Investment

Creative Strategy

Defining how a brand or partnership should show up in the world via campaigns, actions, and initiatives. I create a focused space for imagination through a fan-first approach and a clear definition of the challenge.

Example deliverables

  • Creative Briefs
  • Content + Campaign Strategy
  • Brand Platforms
  • Partnership Activation + Roadmaps
  • Brand Actions Playbook
  • Experiential + Event Strategy
  • Influencer + Earned Strategy
  • Integrated Campaigns + Amplification

The Work

    Experience
    by Category

    B2B Tech

    • Android
    • AWS
    • DocuSign
    • Intel
    • Intrinsic AI
    • Oracle

    Consumer Tech

    • Canva
    • CapCut
    • Google
    • Meta
    • Waymo
    • Wing
    • Zillow

    CPG

    • BodyArmor
    • Espolón
    • Glenfiddich
    • MadeGood
    • Spindrift
    • Tullamore DEW
    • Wild Turkey

    Entertainment

    • Amazon Prime
    • Dish Network
    • Google Play Music
    • Sling TV
    • YouTube

    Hardware

    • Google Nest
    • Google Pixel
    • Nvidia Shield
    • Samsung Galaxy

    Lifestyle

    • Amex
    • Dunkin’
    • Ram Trucks
    • Starbucks
    • Ugg for Men
    • Ulta Beauty

    Sports

    • Bleacher Report
    • F1
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • NHL
    • San Jose Quakes

    Telecom

    • T-Mobile
    • Verizon
    • Visible Wireless

    Travel

    • Atlas Obscura
    • Carnival Cruise Line
    • Destination Toronto

    Kind Words

    A packed arena watches Bill Russell of the Celtics leap to block a shot under the basket.

    Connect

    Pete Scanlon

    Get in touch pete@instead.studio

    LinkedIn

    Project is private

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