Sport fosters all sorts of superstitions – among both players and fans. A global survey from Heineken found that 45% of football fans admit they’ve stopped watching a match to avoid jinxing the result; 43% have blamed themselves for jinxing a game; 22% believe not watching could improve the result; and 34% have pointed the finger at a “jinx”.
So before the UEFA Champions League Final on May 31 in Munich, Heineken and LePub launched a global social media campaign inviting fans to share their most unusual and heartfelt superstitions. This uncovered Marco Simeone, a lifelong Inter Milan supporter who firmly believes that attending matches in person brings bad luck to his team. Despite, or perhaps because of, his team passion he has deliberately avoided going to matches.
To honour his quirky ritual and as part of the brand’s Cheers to the Superstitious Fans platform and its 30+ years of sponsoring the UEFA Champions League, Heineken and LePub sent The Unlucky Charm to a purpose-built bar located in a remote outpost of Germany, on the edge of the European continent. They kept him at a “safe” distance far from the action and gave him a memorable experience while underlining Heineken’s connection with passionate football fans worldwide.
On match day, Marco watched the Final from his remote spot, while fans attending the big game thanked him via video calls set up in the Munich fan zones. Football journalist, Fabrizio Romano; football legends, Jill Scott and Thiago Alcántara, also thanked him for his dedication to the game.
Marco Simeone commented, “Obviously I’d love to be there, but more than that I want to see Inter Milan win, and if I’m at that stadium, it’s just not gonna happen. I’ve seen them lose everything from cup finals to playoffs to friendlies. I’d do anything for my team, so at this point, it’s important I watch from a safe distance. At least I won’t have to queue for a beer where I am.”
The campaign is launchung globally with a hero film, accompanied by short-form content and key visuals shared across Heineken’s and ambassadors’ social media channels.
Credits:
Client: Heineken
Head of Brand: Nabil Nasser
Communications Director: Els Dijkhuizen
Communications Manager: Yoann Hellot
Media Manager: Larissa Koper
PR Director: Jonathan O’Lone
Business Managers: Annamaria Fuzy, Thomas Mulders, Joao Pedro Lopes & Friso Postma
Creative Agency: LePub
Global CEO LePub & CCO LePub Worldwide: Bruno Bertelli
Chief Creative Officers: Cristiana Boccassini & Mihnea Gheorghiu
Creative Director: Marie Poumeyrol
Creative Leads: Angela Celano & Matteo Gemelli
Art Director: Madalena Goncalves
Copywriter: Alessandro Grillini
PR Director: Isabella Cecconi
PR: Luca Orioli
Strategy Team: James Moore & Aneta Junkova
Data Team: Andrea Battista, Alberto Mura, Tumay Mavi
Account Team: Shirine Aoun, Ilaria Castiglioni, Alexis Delwasse, Amira Ramadan & Federica Bussu
Production Team: Francesca Zazzera, Nicolò Dragoni & Martina Trozzi
Art Buyer: Veronica Bottanelli
Creative Agency: Dentsu Creative Italy
PR Agency: Edelman Italy
Social Agency: Boomerang
Media Agency: Amplify UK
Production Company: Prodigious
Director: Tommaso Bianchi
Producer: Alessio Zazzera
Line Producer: Claudio Rimedi
Executive Producer: Giuseppe Ceccarelli
Director of Photography: Fabio Casati
Photographer: Francesco Bittichesu
Post Production: Prodigious Milan
Head of Production, Post: Alfredo Beretta
Colourist: Luca Parma
Editors: Claudio Roveda, Andrea Besana & Tommaso Bianchi
Post Production & VFX: MGCR Studio
Music & Sound: MassiveMusic Amsterdam
Licensing: Stefan Van Der Wielen
Music Producers: Niels Docter & Thomas Harmsen
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing
Composers: Isley O.K., Isley R. & Isley R.
