8 July saw Premier League side Southampton FC launch its new home kit for the 2020/21 season, created by supplier Under Armour, through a bespoke online and mobile game within which the visuals of the new shirt became unlockable for players/fans completing level three.
The arcade style game, called ‘Defying The Odds Since 1885’, challenges players to dribble past various obstacles all referencing specific moments in the club’s history which fans would prefer to forget.
These range from the infamous Ali Dia transfer to a Liverpool FC bank manager.
Dia was a Senegalese striker who, back in November 1996, convinced then Saints manager Graeme Sounness that he was the cousin of FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or winner George Weah, which earned him a one-month contract with Southampton. Dia played only one match when he came on as a substitute and was then subbed off again and subsequently released just 14 days into his contract.
While the scouse banker is a reference to the fact that Liverpool have such a reputation for poaching Southampton’s most promising young stars.
The old school, 32-bit style game, which was developed by tech agency UNIT9, is a mobile proposition hosted at http://defyingtheodds.saintsfc.co.uk/ and promoted through a social campaign across the club’s channels.
When a player eventually complete level three and unlocks the kit there is also a live leaderboard and those who make it are in with a chance of winning a bundle that includes a PS4, Xbox One and a copy of FIFA 2020.
Runners up will in turn win a new kit and a stadium tour from Matt Le Tissier.
Managed to complete the game yet?
Get a high score and you could win some fantastic #SaintsFC prizes: https://t.co/3O5iYPR3dd
#Saints1885 pic.twitter.com/ae36lmnOpG— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) July 8, 2020
“We’ve always had a fighting spirit and we’re proud of that, so we couldn’t think of a better way to mark the club’s 135th anniversary than by reminding our fans of the many times we’ve defied the odds throughout our rich history,” said Southampton FC Head Of Marketing Charlie Read.
“Creating an interactive retro style arcade game to take fans through the club’s history and allow them to unlock the new kit, felt like the ultimate way to do this.”
Comment:
For those who don’t fancy playing, the new kit sees a return of the club’s sash.
Want to see #SaintsFC's new kit in person?
It's available to view in our WestQuay store from today!pic.twitter.com/ftdxJvN9ax
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) July 8, 2020
Southampton continues to build its reputation for genuinely inventive marketing and this shirt launch follows on from previous stand out work which ranges from its 2019 ‘Saynts Festival’ 2019/20 shirt launch spoof (leveraging the Fyre Festival, influencer marketing debacle)
the 2017 Stranger Things influenced ‘Secret Southampton’ campaign (see case study) and its Big Issue Match Day Programme partnership (see case study), to its ‘Made For Heroes’ kit launch (see case study) and the club’s ‘£20’s Plenty’ away fan cash initiative with Virgin Media in 2016 (see case study).
Links:
Southampton FC
http://www.southamptonfc.com
http://www.twitter.com/southamptonfc
http://www.facebook.com/southamptonfc
http://www.instagram.com/southamptonfc
https://www.youtube.com/user/theofficialsaints
UNIT9
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