Heineken and LePub APAC are turning 24-hour laundromats into all-night sports bars so that Korea’s most dedicated football fans now have a place to watch the UEFA Champions League.
The idea was inspired by the realisation that Asia is home to some of the world’s most hardcore football fans – so devoted, they’ll wake up at 3am or 4am to watch UEFA Champions League games live. It’s difficult to watch UEFA Champions League matches together with friends in Korea because most bars are closed at this time. Home might not be the best place to cheer on teams with friends at 4am, either.
So, Heineken teamed up with LePub APAC to devise a simple yet ingenious solution. In partnership with WashEnjoy, one of South Korea’s largest laundromat franchises, they are turning 24-hour laundromats into 24-hour sports bars at locations across the country. When bars are closed, now there’s a place for the real hardcore fans to get together and enjoy the UEFA Champions League.
“Heineken believes that being a ‘real hardcore’ football fan isn’t about how you look, it’s about how you behave – anyone who wakes up at ridiculous hours to watch their team, names their pets after their icons, or wears their lucky pair of socks during matches qualifies as hardcore. We wanted to celebrate Asia’s fans who truly live and breathe the sport in a positive, sometimes quirky way. And what could be quirkier than staying up all night to watch the UEFA Champions League at a laundromat?” explained Giwoun Park, marketing director at Heineken Korea.
Cyril Louis, executive creative director at LePub APAC, added, “You may think the world’s most passionate football fans are based in Europe or Brazil, but they can actually be found in all corners of the world – cities like Seoul, where fans are crazy enough to stay up all night to cheer on their team. We had the crazy idea of using laundromats to recognize the efforts of these fans and celebrate them with Heineken. When bars are closed, now there is a place for Korea’s real hardcore fans: 24/7 laundromats, transformed by Heineken into go-to venues for enjoying match day with friends.”
The campaign, LaundroMatch, launched at 3am (KST) on 10-11 April with two consecutive events, when fans flocked to WashEnjoy in Seoul to watch teams compete. Four all-expense paid trips to the final UEFA Champions League 2024 match on 1 June were also up for grabs: a dream-come-true experience.
From now until June, South Korea’s real hardcore fans will be able to scan QR codes found at WashEnjoy laundromats nationwide to access complimentary 30-day SPOTV subscriptions, so they can enjoy the UEFA Champions League quarter and semi-finals at a nearby Heineken LaundroMatch.
The new campaign follows Cheers To The Real Hardcore Fans in February, that redefined what it means to be a real hardcore fan. Heineken is a long-tine sponsor of UEFA Champions League.
Credits
Client: Heineken Global
Global Marketing Director: Daniela Lebba
APAC Brand and Business Development Director: Agnieszka Gorecki
Global Communication Manager: Guilherme Retz
Global Digital Development Manager: Pearly Lim
Head of Strategy: Dana Katz
APAC Communication Manager: Nalini Bhagwandin
Client: Heineken Korea
Marketing Director: Giwoun Park
Senior Brand Manager: Lynda Kim
Brand Managers: Kido Lee, Gajin Kim & Chloe Choi
Brand Executive: Eunhye Guan
Agency: LePub APAC
Regional Executive Creative Director: Cyril Louis
Creative Director: Sergey Mast
Associate Creative Directors: Yuste De Lucas & Rudy Zulkifly
Design Director: Oscar Gutierrez
Account Director: Vanessa Liu
General Manager: Hanh Kanssen
Senior Project Manager: Farhan Wahab
Agency: LePub Italy
Global CEO LePub, CCO Publicis Worldwide: Bruno Bertelli
Global Chief Creative Officer: Cristiana Boccassini
Chief Creative Officer: Mihnea Gheorghiu
Executive Creative Directosr: Andrey Tyukavkin & Eoin Sherry
Creative Directors: Marie Poumeyrol, Nick Bakshi & Stefano Zanoni
Associate Creative Director: Roberto Ardigò
Group Strategy Director: James Moore
Client Service Director: Shirine Aoun
Group Account Director: Giulia Melegati
Account Supervisor: Marta Dell’Adami
Account Executive: Francesca Gatti
Global Head of Creative Technology: Mauro Mazzei
Global Head of PR & Communications: Isabella Cecconi
Global PR Manager: Eleonora Botta
