Crisp brand Walkers is leveraging its UEFA Champions League rights with guerrilla style activation on the streets of Europe led by an undercover choir surprising the public with live, pop-up renditions of the tournament’s well known anthem.
The ‘Choir Of Champions’ campaign is one phase of the PepsiCo snack brand’s #GameReady multi-strand tournament marketing programme and the singers have surprise serenaded passers-by in London, Munich and Madrid.
As the tournament progressed towards the quarter finals, the crisp brand filmed the undercover choir surprising the public on market places, on public transport and in the street by bursting into (seemingly) impromptu renditions of the theme song.
This evolved into a 90-second ad based around the message: ‘You’re not #GameReady for the UEFA Champions League until you hear the anthem’.
The film spans camera shots and includes London bus CCTV footage capturing commuter reactions to the pop-up performances, as well as a ‘human statue street performer emerge as a choir conductor in Munich and in Madrid a kiosk began playing the tune and showering the choir and the public with ticker tape and glitter.
The initiative is being further amplified across Walkers’ social platforms and its own digital channels.
Join the Choir of Champions as Walkers helps get Europe #GameReady for the @ChampionsLeaguehttps://t.co/9zWEM0wgBm
— Walkers Crisps (@walkers_crisps) March 16, 2016
It is also being pushed by new both brand endorser Lionel Messi,
Get #GameReady to join the Choir of Champions!https://t.co/czIosdWl26
— Walkers Crisps (@walkers_crisps) March 15, 2016
and long-standing brand ambassador, Gary Lineker.
Linker was part of the campaign and even surprised unsuspecting members of the public by blasting the anthem from a helicopter.
‘Spreading the UEFA Champions League anthem across London was a lot of laughs. I’m not the best of singers, but hopefully I did the anthem, and the choir, some justice,’ commented Lineker on the aerial stunt.
‘It took a lot of persuading and peer pressure to get me up in the helicopter given I’m not the biggest fan of heights, but that’s the commitment I have to get everyone game ready!’ he added.
The #GameReady tournament campaign is also running on-pack and online where a competition sees the brand give away thousands of Champions League prizes – from tickets to t-shirts, and from footballs to crisp sharing bowls – every hour.
Snacking like Champions. Grab a pack now for a chance to win UEFA Champions League tickets and prizes EVERY HOURhttps://t.co/qdRn6A9gIq
— Walkers Crisps (@walkers_crisps) February 25, 2016
Plus the brand is also rolling out a steady stream of social media match day, game-related #Gameready content pieces.
Get #GameReady as old foes @Arsenal & @FCBarcelona meet for the 3rd time in UEFA @ChampionsLeague knockout stages.https://t.co/ZVa9eohFe5
— Walkers Crisps (@walkers_crisps) February 23, 2016
‘It was great fun to see the ‘Choir of Champions’ use this to create spontaneous fun times together across the streets of Europe and that’s what Walkers is all about,’ explains Walkers’ senior marketing manager and Champions League sponsorship head Adam Warner.
‘We’re passionate about football and we wanted to share that passion with fans and get Europe and the world game ready in a fun and entertaining way.’
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This quarter-final build up activation phase follows on from February’s Champions League campaign which saw Lineker (who over the last 20 years has starred alongside Lionel Richie, Paul Gascgoine and the Spice Girls in Walkers adverts) battle of a bag of cheese and onion crisps with soccer superstar, Barcelona and Argentina forward and new brand ambassador Lionel Messi.
Thuis far these two phases are the main elements of Walkers 2016 Champions League activation.
The brand’s UEFA partnership was actually first unveiled in June 2015 as part of PepsiCo’s UEFA Champions League sponsorship that spanned Pepsi MAX and Gatorade, as well as Walkers.
The three year partnership also features other PepsiCo brands such as Doritos, Lipton and 7UP and the recebtly released ‘Pepsi Blue Card’ UEFA campaign (see case study).
‘With more than a billion football fans watching the matches every season, this new partnership offers unprecedented opportunities for both parties,’ commented PepsiCo Europe CEO Ramon Laguarta at the signing announcement.
‘UEFA Champions League fans can expect some fantastic new experiences from Lay’s, Gatorade and Pepsi MAX as we head into the 2015/16 season,’ he added.
The deal adds to PepsiCo’s already impressive major sports league partnership portfolio that spans the NBA, the NFL, the NHL, MLB in the USA, as well as the Indian Premier League and International Cricket Council.
Links
Walkers YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/walkerscrisps
Walkers Website:
Walkers Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/walkers
Walkers Twitter:
https://twitter.com/walkers_crisps
Walkers Google+:
https://plus.google.com/u/1/103559335660018473582/videos
UEFA Champions League:
