84% of the brand’s key global target audience watch football on TV, using their second screen, with friends and a beer. As an UEFA Champions League sponsor, Heineken’s aim was to become part of the match day conversations, playing an integral role in these fans’ Champions League experience. It did this through #ChampionTheMatch

PR played a vital role in stimulating and amplifying global conversations facilitated by the brand - from New York to Lagos, and Rio de Janeiro to Paris. This ensured that the brand’s flagship platform continued to deliver tangible brand growth around the world.

Pre, during and post-game, the brand’s #ChampionTheMatch campaign enabled fans to interact in real-time with specially recruited Champions League legends including Gullit, Morientes, Garcia, Seedorf, Villa and Rio Ferdinand via their second screens; using highly sharable content our legends joined existing conversations and started new ones with fans across the globe.

Influential global media were identified to participate and further amplify the conversation to drive mass scale.

Pioneering real-time social media monitoring and listening tools identified new influencers to engage with throughout match day. With shareable and compelling content created as part of the campaign, a global community of football media, fans and influencers rushed to be part of the #ChampionTheMatch conversation.

The Result?

Nearly 83% of all sponsor match day conversation was Heineken driven. 3 times more than the nearest other sponsor.

Each match week, from pre to post-match, a footballing legend took over the @Heineken Twitter handle. Influential sports media, social influencers and fans from across the globe fired in questions and comments and the legend responded in real time.

Every match day, the biggest and most influential voices in the Champions League conversations, outside of Heineken’s activities, were identified, tracked and encouraged to join our legends adding greater scale and reach.

From the identification of an opportunity, Heineken responded within two minutes with influencers continuing the conversation on Heineken’s behalf using #ChampionTheMatch.

As conversations took place we monitored and identified who initiated conversations, the most engaged tweets, where the discussion was and the time that tweets would have the most impact.

The result? Heineken stood out from the crowd and was the most talked about brand during Champions League matches with a 72% SOV.

Output & Awareness Impact

• 50+ pieces of editorial coverage globally

• 520.7 million+ earned media impressions

• 8.7 million+ social media impressions generated through PR

• Combined views of Hook Video and Case History – 7.4 million views

Knowledge/Consideration

• Average dwell time for YouTube content over 116 seconds

• All pieces of PR placement positive in tone, included key campaign messages and drove views of the film