• by Larissa Faw , March 9, 2018

As controversy continues to swirl around social media stars and their influence, entertainment and sports agency Wasserman is introducing the Unlock platform designed to serve as a technology-generated match-making opportunity to bring together brand partners with talent and property deals.

The proprietary tool incorporates real-time data to track over 200 variables across more than 330 million social profiles worldwide to suggest potential--but oftentimes not obvious--partnership opportunities.

For instance, Unlock reports the social following and engagement for Olympic hockey player Hilary Knight after the women’s hockey team took home the Gold increased the value of her social engagements by 119% and that the makeup of her social audience also shifted tremendously from being mostly die-hard hockey fans to being more mainstream sports fans. 

That analysis potentially broadens her brand- and marketing-related parternship opporutnities, says an agency spokesperson. Other talent currently undergoing Unlock analysis include PGA golfer Rickie Fowler and NASCAR driver William Byron.

“Brands, properties and talent regularly face a number of challenges in reaching consumers in the most relevant way, from understanding and engaging new targets  to finding the right time and place for connection,” says Shelley Pisarra, Wasserman’s senior vice president research and insights. Unlock, she added, will help design solutions to those challenges.

While the agency obviously uses the tool to marry those within the Wasserman roster, the service is being made available to any talent, brand and property. For instance, Wasserman used the platform to identify Thierry Henry as the best retired soccer player to grow beer brand Guinness’ footprint across three African nations. Henry is not represented by the agency.