It was June and DEPT® delivered, We The Believers, for Betfred, a hugely emotive anthem to the optimism, rituals, and unwavering confidence that define football fandom in the UK ahead of the biggest tournament of the summer.

That campaign has extended now into something with a touch of wry humour. We The Believers take two has a bit of fun with the personal beliefs of fans – the stubborn, irrational and maybe understandable hopes about their club that fandom lodges in people’s brains, week after week (come win or string of failures). The hero commercial montage was directed by Glenn Kitson.

The UK campaign covers TV, radio, social and Betfred’s owned channels including retail, with Sky as lead media partner, spanning linear TV, Sky Pub, BVOD, YouTube, X and Sky Go. The work is designed to adapt to the football calendar, with new creative responding to derby weekends, transfer windows, cup rounds and the season run-in as they happen.

Chris Boys, group creative director at Dept, commented, “Footy fans don’t experience the game in 90-minute chunks. They live it week in, week out. The conversations, predictions, superstitions and debates are just as important as the match itself. That’s where we found the richest creative territory, building a campaign that reflects football as supporters actually experience it, rather than how betting brands usually portray it.”

Where We The Believers began:

Credits:

Creative Agency: DEPT® 
Creatives: George Dennis, Bradley Palmer, Naomi Taylor, Joe Jordan
Group Creative Director: Chris Boys
TV Producer: Priya Shial
Director of Production: Natalie Price
Radio producer: Zakiya Petty
Design & Animation: Ollie Catton, Laura Mchugh
VP of Clients: Gus Maclay
Business Director: Phoebe Ord
Senior Account Director: Joe Dawson
Programme Director: Tegan McAvoy
Project Management: Ash Alijohani
Strategy Director: Shinal Pancholi

Client: Betfred
Head of Brand & Customer Experience: Cath Ryan
Campaign Managers: Charlie Winterburn & Steph Green
UK Brand & Marketing Director: Gerry Magee
Head of Media & Marketing Efficiency: Kat Harris
Head of ATL Media: Andy Cook

Brand Agency: Nomad
Executive Creative Director: Stuart Watson

Production Company: Iconoclast
Director: Glenn Kitson
Producer: Jen Gelin
Executive Producer & Managing Director: Jean Mougin
Service Production: Sugarfree TV
Producers: Michelle O’Brien, Glyn Davidson
DoP: Jack Exton
DoP Second Unit: Elliot Holbrow
First AD: Billie Hallows
Production Design: Sami Khan

Media Agency: M-Fuse