April saw Powerade, FIFA’s official sportsdrink, launch its central, global World Cup campaign fronted by FC Barcelona and Span star Andrés Iniesta and called ‘There’s Power In Every Game’.
The integrated campaign from the Coca-Cola-owned energy drink, created in partnership with Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, spans multiple channels including TV spots, print executions, out-of-home ads, documentary films and an innovative digital global gaming activation.
The initiative, is spearheaded by a global spot featuring edited cuts switching between Iniesta playing in a packed stadium and kids playing on dusty pitches.
Coming in both 60- and 30-second versions, the commercial features a voiceover trumpeting how ‘the game that matters most is the one you’re playing’.
This commentary cuts to the core of the campaign message:
‘Of all the games in the world, which matters most? One caught in the glare of a million flashes or another in the hazy light of a suburban sun? Does it matter whether two, or ten, or ten to the power of ten people watch? Not in the heat of battle. Not when you’ve given everything, to give even more. Whether the pitch is a pitch, or a square of dust, every kick has a consequence. And a goal, is a goal, is a beautiful goal. The game that matters most is the one you’re playing.’
This international ad is being aired across 40 markets, including host nation Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, the UK and the US.
This central international spot is also supported by a set of five documentary-style webfilms hosted on Powerade’s YouTube channel (some of which will also air on TV in specific markets).
Each video focuses on the story of a different young athlete who has been challenged by adversity and chosen to power through (#PowerThrough is the campaign’s hashtag).
For example, one of the story-telling docu-spots revolves around Nicolai ‘Nico’ Calabria, who was born with one leg and yet still managed to become a good football player using a crutch.
This documentary short includes home video footage interwoven with live action to convey Nico’s raw, inspirational willpower.
The campaign was written by Bernard Hunter, art directed by Mike Bond and directed by AG Rojas through Caviar Los Angeles, Widescope productions was the production company, while Starcom MediaVest handled the media planning and buying.
An online particpatory tracking/gaming element of the Powerade initiative revolves around the fact that players will run around six miles per match at the World Cup – that’s 90 miles if they are going to lift the trophy.
A campaign digital strand offers consumers a chance to follow the players’ lead and track their own workouts via the Endomondo platform and also to enter a Powerade Challenge competition to go to Brazil and experience a 2014 FIFA World Cup match.
Comment
This World Cup work has clear synergy with parent brand Coca-Cola’s recently released ‘The World’s Cup Brazil 2014 campaign which also revolves around the issue of ‘soccer as a for social good’ (see previous case study.
Whether the planning behind the strategy partly emerged from fears of a potential official sponsor backlash as part of the ongoing Brazil social quality consumer protests, or whether this would have been Coke’s approach all along may never be known.
Either way, both the Coca-Cola and the Powerade campaigns combine football with social responsibility, inspiration and excitement.
The energy drink’s World Cup work also follows neatly on from its January roll out of an Iniesta-fronted football webfilm series in which each video features the Spanish star sharing his insights into the game and perfecting his own play as he prepares for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
These included:
‘How The Small Details Make A Big Impact’,
‘There’s Power In Confidence’,
and ‘There’s Power In Pushing Yourself’,
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‘As footballers we appreciate that we have the power to inspire and motivate people through our actions, and no matter how insignificant it may seem at the time, we recognize that there’s power not just in every game but in every tackle, pass, shot and goal,’ comments Iniesta himself.
Links
Powerade Challenge Website
http://www.endomondo.com/powerade
Powerade YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/Powerade
Powerade Twitter
Powerade Campaign Hashtag
#PowerThrough
Powerade Website
