Ahead of this summer’s 2024 UEFA Euro Championship – an international tournament known as the Euros – confectionary partner Mars Wrigley rolled out a pan-European campaign for its Snickers brand called ‘Own Goal’ fronted by Luka Modrić and Bukayo Saka and spearheaded by a playful, cinematic ad aimed at helping football fans steer clear of embarrassing ‘own goals.’
Objective
Ultimately, the objective is to drive Snickers to be the #1 confectionery brand associated with football. By capitalising on key cultural moments like the Euros and global talent like Modrić and Saka, the marketers aim for the campaign is to resonate with all football fans and lives beyond Euro 2024 to achieve longevity for Snickers and its association with the sport.
Activation
The campaign runs across TV, OOH, digital, social and in-store and seeks to position Snickers as a ‘tasty treat to help all fans sort themselves out in these relatable moments’ and to drive awareness of the official tie-up amongst football fans across the continent.
Created with agency The & Partnership and production company Dark Energy Films, the hero spot – helmed by Director Russell Bates – spanned TV and online platforms.
Dropping from 24 March and set in a barbershop, the 20-second ad sees a fan jump up to celebrate a goal on TV, causing the barber to shear off a strip of his hair. Then Croatian captain Modrić and England winger Saka present the fan with a Snickers bar, with the tagline ‘Own goal? Maybe you just need a Snickers’.
The campaign also includes out-of-home, digital, social media, PR and in-store activities featuring the international pair of stars who will ‘rate everyday own goals from 1 to 10 and encourage fans to do the same.
“From double booking on match day to leaving a game early and missing a comeback, we know fans don’t always get it right. That’s why we’re highlighting the nation’s ‘own goals’, encouraging fans to laugh at their blunders, and positioning Snickers as a tasty treat to help sort them out in these relatable moments. By engaging both dedicated and casual football fans, Snickers Own Goal will hero Snickers as the snack to have while supporting.”
Snickers Regional Brand Director (Mars Wrigley) Greg Kent
“I´ve really enjoyed working with Snickers. It´s been fun to rate some of the funniest football mistakes – mistakes happen and anybody can score an own goal, sometimes you just need some help to get back on your game.”
Luka Modrić (Real Madrid & Croatia)
“We’ve all had embarrassing ‘own goals’ off the pitch, and football is nothing without our supporters, but getting your haircut during your team’s game is a solid 10 on the scale. I’ve enjoyed acting alongside Luka, thanks to the Snickers team for making this happen!”
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal & England)
The project was briefed in by the Mars Wrigley marketing team spearheaded by Snickers Regional Brand Director Greg Kent and conceived by creative agency The & Partnership (T&Pm) where the group on the campaign was led by Copywriter Andreas Lefteris, Art Director Elson Rodrigues, plus Creative Directors James Fernandes and Jim Stump.
Production was from Dark Energy Films where the team included Director Russell Bates, Producer Phil Barnes, Executive Producer Matt Brown and Director Of Photography Michael Wood.
Post Production and VFX was run by Rascal Post, while editorial was handled by Marshall Street Editors with Editor Matt Pochettino.
By activating earlier than other official partners, the aim is to start to build long-term momentum and credibility for the brand prior to what is set to be a big summer of European football.
The campaign celebrates that sense of global community in football and positions the brand at the centre of the conversation.
Snickers ‘Own Goal’ also builds on the brand’s recent sports sponsorship success in the USA with its ‘Rookie Mistakes’ activation: a campaign leveraging its tie-up with the NFL tailored ‘to ensure relevance with football fans in Europe, the Middle East and Africa’.
Check out our previous analysis of Rookie Mistakes from September 2022, February 2022 and 2021.