Lara Krug on Leaning Into Community

Local business owners are always looking for tips, tidbits and tactics to help enhance their businesses. Lara Krug, chief marketing officer for the Kansas City Chiefs, knows how to build brand love and loyalty, even while the team’s traditional advertising channels are limited.

The Chiefs have a relevant and passionate fan base, and Krug has amplified influencers and micro-influencers (“people who have communities that are really strong around them, that are fans of the team”) to spread the word about the team and its mission. “We really do tap into our fan base to be the mouthpiece for us,” Krug says. Whether that’s working with them at Monster Jam or a preseason game, Krug’s team taps into fan passion to show how their brand comes to life.

Due to the way the National Football League is structured, the Chiefs are not allowed to advertise nationally. They can only advertise in Kansas and Missouri. “So when you have a brand like ours that is trying to garner a more national audience as well as local, we need to use nontraditional ways to do that,” Krug says. “Therefore, our fans, our Chiefs Kingdom, both actual influencers and your family influencers, are really important brand ambassadors for us.”

Whether you’re a huge brand like the Kansas City Chiefs or a small business, Krug says it’s important to meet people where they are. The Chiefs are doing this through large efforts like partnering with Hallmark to release a Christmas movie and through smaller efforts like hosting kids’ events at the stadium. “Meeting fans or your consumers or buyers where they are is really an important adjustment to your marketing plan, even for a small business that is looking to grow,” she says.

In her experience, Krug has found that certain guiding principles matter most for businesses both big and small. “Marketing channels just continue to change every single day,” she says. “Stay true to who you are as a brand, but be nimble and flexible on how you market towards them.”