Manchester United FC shirt sponsor TeamViewer teamed up with the club to recognise and reward some of the pandemic ‘Frontline Heroes’ through a digital-first (web and social) contest with those nominated invited as VIP guests to December’s Premier League game against Arsenal at Old Trafford and three of them also benefiting from a unique augmented reality (AR) matchday experience.
Territory: UK
Agency: In-House
Objective
In July 2021 European software company TeamViewer was unveiled as Manchester United FC’s new principal shirt partner in a five-year partnership beginning with the 2021/22 season.
The German based company, which provides remote connectivity (control, management and repair) and workplace digitalisation solutions (incorporating new technologies in the Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things spaces), will support the club’s ongoing digitalisation and enhance the fan experience through AR content on smart glasses and via remote access to Old Trafford.
For TeamViewer, the partnership strategy is built around providing a global platform for the company to further build its awareness, perception and reputation by bringing benefits to the club and its diverse, global fanbase and bring them closer together.
In late 2021, TeamViewer sought to leverage its sponsorship rights to champion pandemic frontline workers by recognising and reward their bravery, commitment and effort through the Covid-19 crisis with a ‘Frontline Heroes’ initiative.
Activation
The first phase of the activation began in October when fans were invited to nominate their frontline heroes for recognition through a straightforward online mechanic and social content led by a video.
The winning heroes were invited to the Arsenal match by former United defender Wes Brown for a matchday experience at the Theatre of Dreams (click to view video).
Plus, from all those nominated three winners were chosen to attend the 2 December game as ‘guests of honour’ and were treated to what the club and sponsor described as ‘a first-of- its-kind experience’ via AR which enabled them to watch the build-up to kick-off through the eyes of the players using smart glasses enabled with TeamViewer’s augmented-reality software – called Frontline.
The three winners were Amanda (a teacher who went that extra mile to deliver learning resources to isolated families who could not access online learning), Samuel (who was immediately placed in the Covid ward at Burnley Hospital upon leaving university and has worked tirelessly to support those affected by the pandemic) and Robert (who continued to fulfilled two essential jobs – as a milkman and delivery driver – to help to keep his community going including delivering essential goods to elderly customers during his spare time).
While health and safety protocols to control the spread of Covid-19 meant that access to player areas was tightly restricted at Old Trafford, the three ‘Frontline Heroes’ winners were able to get behind-the-scenes with video streamed live from smart glasses worn by a member of club staff inside the ‘Red Zone’.
This meant that they were able to experience the players’ arrival off the team coach, pre-match warm-ups on the pitch and the walk-out moment for one of the biggest Premier League games of the season, with real-time engagement from the playing and coaching staff.
Then, for the game itself, the three winners were joined in the stands by all the other fan-nominated frontline heroes who enjoyed United’s 3-2 win courtesy of tickets gifted by TeamViewer in acknowledgement of their work.
The promotional part of the initiative also included a giant at-stadium outdoor poster for the 2 December match and a ‘Frontline Heroes Winners Experience’ spot deployed socially on 29 December.
Paying homage to our Frontline Heroes ❤️#MUFC | #MUNARS pic.twitter.com/ocTwUk4BUv
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 2, 2021
Outcome
According to TeamViewer, the sponsor was ‘inundated with inspiring submissions’.
As well as reaching the 73,123 fans in the stadium for the game, the activation’s reach across all channels exceeded 1m and generated more than 250,000 Facebook views across its three core pieces of video creative.
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