UEFA partner adidas kicked-off its Euro 2020 campaign with the first spot in a series of short films which aim to inspire fans, players and communities and which looks towards a more positive and inclusive world.
Launched on 10 June, the campaign shines the spotlight on adidas’ ‘Football Collective’ project and its partners. The initiative brings to life the company’s commitment to opening up the game to everyone, through long-term investments into football facilities and communities.
Project partners include:
FC Internationale Berlin – which is a sustainable and inclusive environment that encourages everyone to play the game.
FC Not Alone – which is using football to help achieve the goal of breaking the stigma surrounding mental health.
Le Monde FC – which is giving young people the opportunity to use football to turn their lives around.
The creative celebrates the idea that what makes people different, is what makes the game – and ourselves – stronger. Running with the line that ‘Where some see a ball, we see possibilities for all’, the project is part of adidas’ commitment to championing inclusivity and diversity in football and to ‘drive meaningful change’ and ‘prove that differences make us stronger’.
The pre-tournament short film shows footballers from around the world are seen playing with the UNIFORIA (Official Match Ball) which itself is an homage to all people no matter which team they support, which community they are part of and which country they live in.
The central spot is supported by a series of football endorser focused films telling stories about diversity and possibilities which includes spots fronted by Paul Pogba, Thiago Alcantara, Serge Gnabry, Karim Benzema and İlkay Gündoğan
The work sees Adidas reprise its previous ‘Impossible Is Nothing’ line and idea through the lens of ‘Seeing Possibilities’ which urges and supports the public in finding positive paths towards their goals.
The German-based sportswear brand is UEFA’s primary supplier partner and its Euro 2020 match ball launched last year (tied to the tournament’s original schedule) and has been created and designed as an homage to the coming together of teams from different countries and origins and thus carries the co-ordinates of the 11 host stadiums at which the competition will be held.
“Since we started on the journey towards UEFA Euro 2020 a lot has changed, but one thing that hasn’t has been the excitement for a major tournament. Perhaps the excitement for this tournament is even greater than normal, due to what the world has been through,” commented Adidas Football Head Of Global Brand Marketing Matt Davidson. “UEFA Euro 2020 will show us once again what is possible when we come together & celebrate the power of sport – the thrills, the emotion, the respect. The UNIFORIA ball remains a symbol for how we can unite through sport & culture, but also celebrate what makes us different.”
Comment:
This rallying cry of a campaign isn’t the first marketing campaign focused on the unique power football to bring people together, to create opportunities and to drive positive change beyond the pitch and within society.
But its non-the-worse for that.
The creative dovetails with adidas’ umbrella brand approach based around inspiring optimism and driving action across the sustainability, inclusivity and credibility spaces. The company’s wider approach is to encourage people to see the world not as it is today, but how it could be.
The 2021 work contrasts with adidas’ Euro 2016 ‘First Never Follows‘ tournament activation and shows a significant shift from ‘winning’ to ‘change’.
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