European Activation Case Studies
The Big Bitcoin Giveaway – Southampton FC and Sportsbet.io
To mark the extended relationship between Southampton FC and Sportsbet
In-Game Collaboration – PUBG Mobile (Tencent Games) and Liverpool FC
In October 2021 Tencent Games' PUBG Mobile video game officially linked up with Liverpool Football Club (LFC) for an in-game collaboration built on shared teamwork and camaraderie which enhanced fan passion…
Future Goals – Sandals Resorts and AFC Ajax
In May 2022 AFC Ajax Amsterdam and Sandals Resorts International (SRI) teamed up to support the local community and inspire future generations on the Caribbean island of Curaçao through a school-based …
Kings of the Game – Budweiser and AFC Ajax
Official beer brand Budweiser leveraged its AFC Ajax partnership and celebrated the club’s 35th league title victory in May 2021 by teaming up with local singer Sophie Straat and artist Tim Rodermans t…
Little Islington – Adidas and Arsenal FC
In summer 2022, Arsenal and official kit supplier Adidas teamed up with agency Weirdo to launch the new 2022-23 away kit while the club was on a US Summer Tour through an integrated campaign called ‘Little I…
Listen to the Saint in you – Sportsbet.io and Southampton FC
During the 2021-22 Premier League season Southampton FC’s crypto-betting sponsor Sportsbet.i
Shirt Buy Back – American Express and Brighton & Hove Albion FC
American Express marked the 10-year anniversary of its partnership with Brighton & Hove Albion FC at the end of the 2021-22 Premier League season with a fan shirt swap activation that invited 250 fans…
Dear Liverpool – Nivea Men and Liverpool FC
Nivea Men leveraged its partnership with Liverpool FC (LFC) through the 2021-22 season via a three-pronged focus on health, wellness and community with a set of awareness, reward and content-led activations…
My Everton – Hummel and Everton FC
For the 2022-23 season, Everton FC and technical partner Hummel expanded its existing ‘My Everton’ collaboration and turned it into a web-based, social media-amplified, weekly series of authentic first-hand sup…
Play Limitless – Accor ALL and Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain primary partner Accor leveraged the tie-up through the 2021-22 season to consolidate the 2019 launch campaign for its ALL loyalty programme through a multi-market, player-fronted ‘Play L…
Closer than ever before – Audi and FC Bayern Munich
In November 2022, an Audi employee experience activation celebrated its 20-year partnership with FC Bayern Munich via an internal competition that saw 30 Audi workers selected to drive the latest all-electric…
Celebrating Small Business in Liverpool – VistaPrint & Liverpool FC
VistaPrint, a Dutch e-commerce company providing small businesses with design and print services for custom physical and digital marketing products, has a multi-year agreement with Liverpool Football Club (LFC) as the official small business design and marketing partner.
‘Dettol Up, Support England’ – Dettol & England Football/The Football Association
In 2022, disinfectant brand Dettol leveraged its partnership with the FA and England Football around UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 through an integrated activation programme spanning TV, OOH, digital, social a…
The 9th Lane – Lacoste and French National Olympic & Paralympic Committees
Lacoste, which was founded in 1933 by tennis player René Lacoste and is known globally for its famous green crocodile logo, leveraged its status as the supplier of out-of-competition and formal wear to …
Fast Frame – Samsung and Dutch Olympic Cycling Team (BMX)
Bringing to life the brand’s ‘Do What You Can’t’ umbrella marketing platform through its Dutch Olympic Team sponsorship, Samsung ‘Fast Frame’ utilised the brand’s technology products, data collection ab…
Dyslexia Jersey – European Dyslexia Association & Hamburg SV
To drive awareness of the challenges of dyslexia and other reading/writing disorders and support those who suffer from it amongst the Germany football community, Hamburger SV (HSV) rolled out an October 2021 guerrilla style campaign called ‘Dyslexia Jersey’ at a home game during ‘European Dyslexia Awareness Month’. A pair of jerseys with misspelt players’ names on the back were worn on the pitch during a game supported by television, in-stadium and social media explanatory content.
Safe Training Jersey – GMF and FFR
A design-led, safety-focused activation from Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR) partner GMF Paris in 2021 saw the insurance company create a campaign which demonstrated its mantra that if ‘insurance mean…
Tiny Buzz Car – VW and Uefa Euro 2022
VW activated its rights as an official sponsor of Uefa Women’s Euro 2022 via an on-pitch stunt and social campaign called ‘Tiny Buzz Car’, based around a miniature remote-controlled car delivering the o…
Home Run Derby X (London) – FTX and MLB
Crypto brand FTC teamed up with Major League Baseball (MLB) as the title partner of the league’s touring 2022 ‘FTX MLB Home Run Derby X’ event which began with a blockbuster event in London on July 9 to …
RePlay/5v5 – PepsiCo (Lay’s and Gatorade) and Uefa Women’s Champions League
In May 2022, UEFA partnered PepsiCo’s snack and sports drink brands Lays and Gatorade for an activation around the Women’s Champions League final through a linked grassroots pitch and tournament initiative in host city Turin which saw the crisps brand build a community pitch from recycled packaging and then the sports drink run an all-women’s ‘Gatorade 5v5’ tournament on it.
Drinkable Hockey Field – Brauerei Schützengarten and Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
Swiss beer brand Brauerei Schützengarten activated its sponsorship of hockey team SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers following a 2020-21 season of success on the ice that was missed by fans due to the pandemic …
Front Row – Bednet/ClassContact and Royal Belgian Football Association
Running through the Covid-affected 2020-21 international season, Bednet and ClassContact activated their partnership with the Royal Belgian Football Association (KBVB/URBSFA) for a kids’ cause campaign which connected the men’s national team training sessions to unwell children confined to bed.
What’s Priceless to You, by Lionel Messi – Mastercard, Uefa Champions League
In May 2022, Uefa sponsor Mastercard leveraged its rights around the Men’s Champions League Final through a global campaign built around brand ambassador Lionel Messi. The campaign led with a hero film featuring a young Messi’s first flight to Spain to start his career playing for FC Barcelona.
The Arsenal Forest – CarbonLink / Bore Lions & Arsenal FC
In September 2021 Premier League giant Arsenal FC teamed up with ecology restoration non-profit CarbonLink (and Bore Green Umbrella) for a philanthropic initiative in Africa called ‘The Arsenal Forest’: a sustainability initiative aimed at off-setting the carbon consumption of the club’s matchday programme whilst also supporting local communities and local football clubs.
Rainbow Shirt – Hummel and Southampton FC / Everton FC / Brondby IF
In August 2021 Danish sportswear brand Hummel leveraged a trio of its official football club supplier tie-ups – Everton FC, Southampton FC and Brondby IF – on a kit-based collaborative campaign called The Rainbow Jersey to support the LGBTQ+ community, fight against discrimination in football and raise funds for local inclusivity non-profits.
Breaking Barriers – Rexona & Chelsea FC
In 2020, Unilever deodorant brand Rexona used its Chelsea rights to promote its ‘Breaking Limits’ programme for the empowerment of young people.
Volle Ladung Dortmund – DEW21 & Borussia Dortmund
In 2020-21, utility giant DEW21 leveraged its new partnership with Dortmund through an integrated campaign aimed at boosting brand sentiment, customer acquisition and positioning the company as a local patriot.
Bring Your Boots – Vitality & MSP Capital & AFC Bournemouth
In March 2022 AFC Bournemouth teamed up with principal partner and front of shirt sponsor MSP Capital and sponsor Vitality to launch a new ‘Bring Your Boots’ football boot and trainer recycling scheme. It encouraged fans to donate their sports shoes to be given to local families financially impacted by the pandemic and unable to afford the equipment needed to keep their kids involved in grassroots football and keep them physically active.