England national team sponsor Lucozade Sport has created ‘Conditions Zone’: an indoor 5-a-side pitch simulating the heat and humidity the side will face at Brazil 2014.
Developed with agency FastTrack, the state-of-the-art ‘Conditions Zone’ sports space, erected in London’s Canary Wharf and boasts 32 degrees temperature and 76% humidity.
The initiative is being promoted via the hashtag #ConditionsZone, with social and digital support, an online trailer,
promotional work from ambassadors such as Alan Shearer and Steve McManaman,
plus a traditional advertising campaign fronted by a TV spot featuring England captain and brand ambassador Steven Gerrard (narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch and created by Grey London).
(which also comes complete with a Behind-The-Scenes webfilm).
The initiative offers amateurs a chance to experience the scorching conditions themselves by winning games on the Conditions Zone pitch.
Any increase in heat and humidity will have a major impact on dehydration and player fuel loss, which can cause a decrease in performance.
So, working with STATSports, those lucky enough to win pitch time will also receive one-on-one advice from a team of sports scientists including scientific analysis demonstrating the impact the conditions have had on their performance.
Players will have a slew of performance variable monitored through the match – including heart rate exertion, distance covered, weight loss and sweat loss.
Plus, prior to each game the hydration levels and core temperature of every player will be measured by a Sport Scientist, and used to deem whether the player is in a suitable condition to take part in a game.
‘When playing football in hot and humid conditions the body’s inbuilt cooling system steps up a gear, meaning you sweat more, which can result in dehydration,’ explained University Of Bedford Professor John Brewer – who is the Lead Scientific Advisor to the Lucozade Sport Conditions Zone and was a member of the support staff for the 1990 Football World Cup Finals in Italy.
‘If a player becomes dehydrated by more than 2% of their body weight their performance will suffer. Replicate this across a whole team and it can have a dramatic impact on the success of a game.’
The official drink of the England Football Team launched its campaign in the first week of June and the initiative is part of the sports drink brand’s wider, ongoing ‘Fuel To Rule’ marketing push.
The facility is open from 3 to 24 June and is free to play in and players, fans and users can register for their team to play via the campaign website – which also includes an online ‘Conditions Simulator’ tool.
The initiative also includes a consumer competition to win tickets to the World Cup itself in Brazil.
Comment
This initiative works on several key contemporary engagement touch points: it’s a traditional ad campaign with a relevant experiential core that offers a unique experience, plus a set of professional level utilities and tools to amateur players and consumers.
Rarely has a campaign stuck to the mantra ‘If you are doing it, then film it’ as this campaign – which includes web film that spans ‘behind-the-scenes’ videos, ‘making of’ web films, plys online footage of the PR push amongst other supporting assets.
It neatly dovetails with the sponsored property’s relevant tournament issue and the functional benefit of the product itself.
As isotonic sports drinks, such as Lucozade Sport, provide carbohydrates and electrolytes help to enhance hydration and fuel performance.
‘We have created the Conditions Zone to help amateur players understand the importance of staying hydrated and re-fuelling when playing sport, whatever conditions they face,’ commented James Young, Head of Sponsorship at Lucozade Sport.
‘It’s a very exciting campaign that gives everyone a chance to see how their performance holds up against the back drop of our boys out in Brazil.’
Links
Lucozade Conditions Zone Campaign Website
www.lucozadesport.com/conditionszone
Lucozade Conditions Zone Campaign Twitter Hashtag
#ConditionsZone
Lucozade Sport Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/LucozadeSport
Lucozade Sport twitter
@LucozadeSport
England FA Website
Brazil 2014 World Cup Website
FIFA Website
