Allianz has launched a semi-ambush marketing campaign to promote its title sponsorship of the stadium that will host this year’s UEFA Champions League – the Allianz Arena.
The German-based financial services giant has been the name sponsor of the stadium (home to be both Bayern Munich and 1860 Munich) since it opened in 2005. But this initiative comes as all non-sponsors of the UEFA tournament are forced to remove their branding from the venue under the right’s owners ‘clean venue’ rules.
For one night the venue will be referred to as the Munich Arena.
Allianz, along with other main Bayern Munich sponsors – including T-Mobile and Burger King – have had their brand presence stripped from the building for the 19 May final between home team Bayern Munich and Chelsea.
Their branding is replaced by the official sponsors of the game, the most watched annual sporting event in the world, who include Sony, Heineken, MasterCard and Ford.
The objective is to leverage football’s biggest game being played in its own stadium and keep its profile high despite not being an official UEFA partner.
‘Hoam Sweet Hoam’, a campaign created by Grey, includes print executions running both in German and English magazines and a new virtual 3D tour of the stadium on the company’s site. This digital element promotes the Arena panorama tour, which offers fans a chance to take a virtual 3D walk through the stadium.
It also dovetails with the recent (and ongoing) ‘Destination Allianz Arena’ global campaign from the insurance brand. Thus far this has included several interesting initiatives – including an early May 3D art installation at London’s Westfield shopping centre (with an appearance by former Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann).
Allianz is also using its Facebook page to host a rolling set of competitions and polls based around the final.
‘No one knows the Allianz Arena better than Allianz but we knew not everyone would make it out to Munich to experience the game,’ said Dr Christian Deuringer, head of global brand management of Allianz SE. ‘We wanted to share our world famous football stadium with all football fans in London and beyond, so this artwork is a fantastic way to be part of one of football’s biggest events.’
Al Whittle, CEO, TeamAllianz at Grey, said: ‘The final is the crown jewel in the European football calendar – and the stadium always plays a huge role in the occasion, for fans and TV viewers alike,’ said Grey’s TeamAllianz CEO Al Whittle. ‘With the world’s eyes on Munich, Grey wanted to ensure that Allianz is recognised for its role as a host for this unforgettable match.’
Comment:
Allianz has been the name sponsor of the Allianz Arena, which holds 69,000 spectators, since it first opened on 31 May 2005.
While this campaign uses the brand’s ‘With you from A to Z’, it doesn’t incorporate the insurance outfit’s latest core brand campaign ‘One’.
The central focus of the “One” campaign revolves around sharing knowledge and experience of real people in authentic situations
Of course, while Allianz’s Champions League guerrilla work skirts around the edge of the final, the official UEFA’s official Champions League sponsors Sony, Heineken, Mastercard and Ford are themselves launching a raft of advertising campaigns this weekend in Munich.
Click here for our previous comprehensive review of last year’s Champions League sponsor activation.
Links:
http://www.allianz-arena.de/en/arenatour/tour-information/index.php
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