The morning news source for millennials for some time now has been The Skimm. Quick, cheeky, fast hitting soundbites with links to the four or five news topics of the day, delivered five days a week in a very brief, no-nonsense email designed to set those of a certain age out the door with all they need to know for their world.
Why not, some Boston-based entrepreneurs, do a version for a target audience of sports fans, brought every day during the season in a simple digest form, full of casual facts, some great artwork and some key links to the 3-4 articles of the day. Mix in some trivia, and let’s do lunch; specifically, “Sox Lunch,” “Mets Lunch” and “Cubs Lunch.”
Since the platform is Boston based and understood Sox Nation, it launched in Boston, and then tried to catch on with two other key demos, New York (for the younger-skewing Mets) and Chicago (trying to capture Wrigleyville as well) and waited to see what the response was. Well as we head toward the playoffs with all three teams in the hunt, it has been a pretty successful concept, this lunch.
What is the difference that has made “Lunch” so palatable?
First and foremost, it is 100 percent geared toward a mobile environment, and the mobile-first platform makes it easy to read, easy to follow, easy to click links and easy to digest on whatever device you choose.
Second, the platform has effectively used Twitter as its in-game tool to drive traffic and engagement and awareness, sponsoring short trivia contents and giving snackable notes that fit the mold of the “Lunch” concept in each market.
Third, everything from the links to the artwork, takes seconds to load; no big files, no complex graphics
Fourth, it is a digest; giving the fans the key notes and thoughts from the night or day prior, while adding a “good and bad” editorial that can inspire watercooler talk.
So with concept proven, what’s next for “lunch”? Using the mobile environment tied to twitter should lend itself to local events and promotions that fit well with the platforms, and it is very scalable to most key demos and fan bases, serving a fast and easy mobile niche that most major media platforms are missing out on.
Lunch today is a simple email; it doesn’t have to be complex and should be satisfying. That’s what “Sox Lunch,” “Cubs Lunch,” and “Mets Lunch” has done in its first year. Simple, digestible news, delivered on the device of choice. Let’s see where the next meal goes, so far so good..
