The new Predator 20 boots, which come complete with Demonskin technology, 406 spikes and increased grip and spin, are positioned as providing the wearer with an unfair advantage in a 360-degree degree global campaign called ‘100% UNFAIR’.
Working with agency TBWA\Neboko, the multi-channel campaign seeks to show how the boots are unfair with the assistance of a team of adidas’ biggest football ambassadors such as David Beckham, Paul Pogba, Marc-André ter Stegen, Tessa Wullaert, Becky Sauerbrunn and Dele Alli.
The hero online film, which highlights the unfair advantage in big game moments, in training and even in FIFA, was broken down into multiple social assets and bespoke edits for adidas and its endorsers to post.
The spot was supported by striking print, OOH and social content, but arguably the most inventive strand was its dark social strategy which linked to messaging apps to real world amateur football in order to bring the unfair advantage idea to life.
On dark social, adidas essentially loaning out elite professional football talent (in the form of some of its super star ambassadors) to London grassroots amateur teams who’d (supposedly) been let down at the last minute by unreliable players.
This ‘Rent-a-Pred(ator)’ service from the sportswear giant was run through WhatsApp where grassroots side could use the messaging app hotline to ask for an adidas loan player and the brand let the sides known on the morning of their game whether they had secured their star ringer.
The replacement player would then turn up wearing the new Predator 20 Mutator boots for the game.
The Predator Player Rental programme ran for six days (from 4 to 9 February) and brand ringers who turned out ranged from stars of UK football freestyle collective the F2, to Brazil legend Kaka and former England Legend Eni Aluko (who turned up to a six-a-side Sunday League game in Hoxton and scored five goals in a 7-6 victory).
The somewhat tongue-in-cheek background idea behind the creative is that since it was created, Predator’s design has been informed by nature’s most dangerous creatures and takes cues from the extremes of nature.
The campaign was created for adidas Football by a team at agency TBWA\Neboko (Netherlands) and was directed by Daniel Warwick through Biscuit Filmworks.
Comment:
Not just a smart, live way to demonstrate a new product and to generate buzz and PR, WhatsApp seems a smart platform for the campaign because, as it is free and global and group-friendly, it is used by football teams around the world to co-ordinate communication, build camaraderie and plan fixtures, so it is an excellent fit for the ‘Rent-A-Pred’ strand of the launch campaign.
Adidas is something of an early mover when it comes through dark social marketing: particularly with messaging apps (eg WhatsApp) which it used to build relationships with influential customers and promote new products.
Earlier this month, on 12 February, Facebook announced that WhatsApp now has more than two billion global users – up from 1.5 billion two years ago.
Of course, unlike Facebook’s other two flagship platforms Facebook and Instagram, WhatsApp (for now) remains ad free.
But adidas remains committed to activating on the platform and uses it as a key pillar in its local targeting strategy.
The sportswear brand began this tactic as long ago as 2016 when it first began creating a messenger group of trend-setting teens to help design and promote a new boot range in an initiative called ‘Glitch’.
And back in 2017, adidas said that as many as 70% of online referrals to the brand were happening in dark social apps like WhatsApp.
‘Dark social’ refers to the social media platforms where brands are not able to track the source of users and social spaces where they’re unable to advertise.
Adidas encourages fans to join groups (called ‘Tango Squads) on these platforms where those connected receive information about Adidas products before anyone else. This enables the brand to build deeper relationship with consumers around the world.
Links:
Adidas Football
https://www.adidas.com/football
https://www.youtube.com/user/adidasfootballtv
https://www.instagram.com/adidasfootball/
https://twitter.com/adidasfootball
https://www.facebook.com/adidasfootball
TBWA\Neboko, Netherlands
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.