Believe It? Now See It with BT Sport
Client: BT Sport
Strategic Service: Integrated Campaign Strategy
Team: Elliot Handler & James Graham (Account Leads), Ophelia Stimpson (Strategy Lead), Will John & Sarah Heavens (Creative Leads), all Saatchi & Saatchi
Opportunity
Goal: Create a Premier League Season Start campaign that punches above its weight
Market: UK
Audience: Football fans of all ages
As a major rights holder of UK and European football, BT Sport wanted to celebrate the Premier League Season Start in an unmissable way to drive both hype and subscriptions.
But in a market full of big players with unlimited budgets, we needed to find a way to make noise as a David amongst Goliaths.
Insight
With some of the nation’s favourite pundits, exclusive rights to European football, and unparalleled viewing features, BT Sport gives fans the passion and experience they crave – but don’t necessarily know about.
And in a footballing world that seems to increasingly put commerce ahead of its fans, it felt only right to put fans back into football – by celebrating their passion and belief that makes the start of the season what it is.
When any football season begins, fans – no matter what team they support – will believe things that others might consider delusional. That is, until the delusions actually happen (we all saw Leicester win the Prem!). That fine line between belief and delusion is all part of the excitement.
Execution
Our Believe it? Now See It. campaign launched this August (2022) to celebrate fans’ beliefs like never before – using neuroscience.
We assembled a top team of scientists to conduct MRI scans on 20 different Premier League fans, influencers and pundits to see if they really believe what they’re saying, or if it’s all part of the start-of-season posturing.
A suite of video shorts, OOH executions, social activations and a long-form hero film bring fans’ passions and beliefs to life with a joy and empathy deserving of the zeitgeist that accompanies every Premier League kick off.
