The Marketing Campaigns That Brought It Home: Euro 2024 Highlights....
Here are some of my favourite marketing campaigns around this year's Euro tournament...
Happy new week,
Although it was a sad ending to the Euro 2024 tournament for us English fans, it’s important to reflect on the unique power of football to unite people across borders. Yesterday pubs, bars and streets were full of English fans coming out to support England at the Euro 2024 finals. The emotional highs and lows experienced during the Euro 2024 has united fans worldwide. Whether it’s the thrill of a last-minute goal, the tension of a penalty shootout, or the collective disappointment of a loss, these shared moments create a bond among supporters.
This newsletter isn’t to talk about what Gareth Southgate could’ve have done to finally bring it home for England, this newsletter is to discuss how brands successfully used this huge sporting moment as an opportunity to create exciting and engaging content for fans.
Jude Bellingham and Lamine Yamal were the stars of the Euros this year, with Bellingham being a huge figurehead for England and Yamal being the new face of fresh and raw football talent. Adidas did a great job choosing athletes to represent their brand and they also didn’t disappoint when it came to marketing them.
Adidas did a storytelling piece to support Jude ahead of the tournament, the video showed Jude as the player who is going to overcome the pressures of past disappointments and hopefully bring it home for England. Adidas also created a short ad of Lamine going to the Euros alongside his teammate Pau Cubarsi, playing on the fact that they’re both young and should still be in school.
Adidas launched ‘Hey Jude’, a short piece around the past disappointments of England and showcasing Jude as the player destined to overcome past setbacks and lead England to victory. Additionally, Adidas produced a short video highlighting Lamine's first time at the Euros with teammate Pau Cubarsi, emphasising their youth and the notion that they should still be in school.
With two of the most exciting players in the Euros heading into the tournament, Adidas seized the opportunity to create engaging content around them. Similarly, Adidas quickly capitalised on the moment when Bellingham scored a dramatic overhead kick in the 95th minute, propelling England into extra time and ultimately advancing to the next round.
Specsavers took their iconic “should’ve gone to Specsavers” international during the Euros. Their campaign aimed to prepare fans from all participating nations by translating the famous phrase into the languages of each country taking part. Should’ve gone to Specsavers is a saying commonly used when to critique referees which is a slogan that resonates globally, making it a perfect fit for Euros fans across Europe.
My favorite campaign has to be the Migration Museum's "England without Immigration." This powerful out-of-home and social campaign urged football fans to envision the England team without the contributions of immigration. In a time of significant political tension and immigration being a contentious issue, the Migration Museum leveraged the unifying passion for football to highlight the undeniable benefits of immigration. Versus amplified this message on TikTok, showcasing the diverse origins of each England player, driving home the campaign's impactful message
To conclude, football and sport in general have a unique power to unite people from all walks of life. Brands who utilise the excitement of major football events to craft innovative and engaging campaigns not only capture attention but also connect with audiences on a deeper level. There were numerous campaigns, these three truly stood out for their creativity and impact. Did any particular campaign catch your eye and resonate with you? I'd love to hear yours!
Something interesting to watch