Football
Features
Two Things at Once – eToro & six Premier League clubs
In 2020-21, eToro leveraged its multiple European club soccer sponsorships to build brand awareness and promote its CopyTrader function.
A, O & B – Wiko & SD Eibar
In Q1 2016, smartphone brand Wiko supported SD Eibar in a community health campaign that saw the letters corresponding to the main blood types removed from the players’ shirts.
Data Snapshot: European Leagues 2020-21
In 2020-21 – a season likely to play out largely behind closed doors – Europe’s top four football leagues held sponsorship agreements of about €315m ($383m) in contract value.
Matchworn – Intersport & TSG Hoffenheim
In early 2019, retailer Intersport activated its partnership with Bundesliga side Hoffenheim through an initiative that auctioned player-worn kit to raise funds for children’s charity SOS-Kinderdorf.
We Drive Football – Volkswagen & the Deutscher Fußball-Bund/Uefa and more
Through 2019 and 2020, Volkswagen leveraged its football partnerships – led by its official mobility partnership with the Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB) – through a centralised European content hub called ‘We Drive Football’.
Nilox e-mobility brand renews with Juventus for another year
Electric mobility brand Nilox has renewed its sponsorship with Italian Serie A club Juventus for the 2020-21 season
Manchester United to promote Malta in new sponsorship deal
Manchester United has signed a three-year sponsorship deal with the Government of Malta and the Malta Tourism Authority that will promote the island nation to the English Premier League club’s global f…
Deliveroo adds PSG to sponsorship portfolio
Food delivery company Deliveroo has entered into a partnership with French Ligue 1 football club Paris Saint-Germain
Real Sociedad reveal new stadium name, shirt sponsorship imminent
La Liga’s Real Sociedad will open its newly renovated, 40,000-capacity stadium – under the new Reale Arena moniker – on Saturday, while the club is close to striking a new shirt sponsorship deal.
T
Data Snapshot: European FAs 2020-21
Europe’s most powerful football associations – of England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain – hold sponsorship portfolios worth about €392.6m ($472.6m) in the 2020-21 season.
Of
We Connect for Good – BT & The FA/FAW/SFA/IFA
BT abruptly pivoted its activations to digital after the pandemic struck just a month after it launched a new, five-year ‘4-3-3’ Home Nations soccer sponsorship strategy in February 2020.
Ningún Hogar Sin Alimentos/No Home Without Food – CaixaBank & LaLiga clubs
In April 2020, eleven Spanish football clubs joined sponsor CaixaBank’s cause campaign, supporting food banks to meet the rising need during the Covid-19 lockdown crisis.
Welcome to Hell – Under Armour & FC St. Pauli
In summer 2016, for Under Armour’s first St. Pauli kit, supplier and club worked with agency Nordpol on a campaign that spanned social, PR and at-stadium strands and was led by an online film focused on a redesigned players tunnel.
Blind Match – Suzuki & Torino FC
Suzuki’s 2018-19 activation of its Torino shirt front deal was inspired by the increasing popularity of dating apps.
Memotraits – Rakbank & FC Barcelona
Early in 2020, ‘Memotraits’ leveraged Rakbank’s rights in the UAE as a FC Barcelona regional partner by turning local Barca fan football memories into physical art.
Our Colours, Our Skin – Joma & Villarreal CF
Villarreal CF and technical partner Joma’s July 2020 triple kit launch campaign leveraged lockdown social media creative trends and focused on digital assets to drive online sales.
#SauberesSpiel/#CleanGame – PreZero & TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
In October and November 2019, Hoffenheim naming rights partner PreZero ran an eco-focused activation around the club’s home game against Paderborn to deliver the first carbon-neutral Bundesliga match.
Trophy Tour/Heroes Walk/OMBC/Undeniable – Kia & Uefa
The pandemic forced Uefa Europe League partner Kia Motors to pivot its 2019-20 season marketing programme from in-person initiatives to online experiences.
Answer Time – StormGain & Newcastle United
Crypto trading platform StormGain leveraged its Newcastle United sleeve sponsorship in spring/summer 2020 with a video Q&A series featuring the Premier League club’s biggest stars.
Priceless Wave – Mastercard & Uefa
For the 2020 Champions League’s return in August, Uefa partner Mastercard created a best practice example of how sponsors could switch physical experiences for virtual activations amid the pandemic.
No Fuss. Football as It Should Be – Nike & VfL Bochum
Bochum and Nike’s campaign promoting the club's 2020-21 jersey led to tripling the previous season’s shirt sales and generating record revenue even without fans in the stadium or the physical club shop.
No Stadium. No Problem – Hotels.com & Uefa
For the final stages of the 2020 Uefa Champions League, with matches played behind closed doors after the tournament’s pandemic-enforced shutdown, Hotels.com activated around the idea of watching the match from somewhere special.
One Nation, One Jersey (One Beer) – Castle Lager & the South African Football Association/SA Rugby/Cricket South Africa
In March 2019, Castle Lager leveraged its trio of South African national team sponsorships with a campaign revolving around a blended national team jersey, with live events, experiences, TV and social content and on-pack work.
Product of Our Earth – Adidas & CA Osasuna
Ahead of the 2020-21 season, CA Osasuna and kit supplier adidas rolled out an integrated online campaign promoting a trio of new centennial kits focusing on the local region, its land and symbols.
Deportivo Alavés – LEA & Deportivo Alavés
In 2018, men’s grooming brand LEA leveraged its partnership with Deportivo Alavés through a national online and print advertising campaign.
Ready for Leeds – adidas & Leeds United FC
Taking over as kit supplier in 2020-21, adidas brought Leeds United into its pandemic-influenced, global ‘Ready for Sport’ brand platform when unveiling the new kit in mid-August 2020.
Romeo y Julio. Football, Passion and Love – Uber & Sevilla/Real Betis
Uber leveraged its partnerships with the two Seville football clubs with a digital video-led campaign that promoted respect in the rivalry around the April 2019 derby.
Santander Media House – Santander & Uefa
Uefa partner Santander brought the excitement of the 2020 Champions League Final in Lisbon to the world through an enhanced edition of its ‘Santander Media House’