Gillette & Youtube Announce New Partnership
Gillette and YouTube have announced a new partnership, launching the Gillette Football Club – a new YouTube brand channel integrating football content including goals, highlights and behind the scenes footage from the top football leagues and clubs, with new and exclusive content. As part of the partnership, Gillette will become the main sponsor of football content on YouTube in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
The Gillette Football Club will offer HD video from YouTube partners which cover top leagues like Spain’s La Liga, and Italy’s Serie A; over 50 different clubs, including Manchester City FC, Chelsea FC, Paris Saint-Germain, and Olympique de Marseille; and news from sports content providers such as TalkSport and ESPN. As yet, no deal has been confirmed with the English Premier League.
At sign up, viewers will have the option to select their favourite leagues and clubs to have the latest videos delivered to them the moment they are available, and users will have free access to their team’s latest goals and highlights, news and statistics.
The channel will also include exclusive entertainment programmes created by production company, Big Balls, and new functions such as social gaming to be rolled out after launch.
Matt Brittin, VP sales & operations, Google, Northern & Central Europe, said: ‘YouTube is the home of great quality content on the web for viewers and advertisers alike. The ever expanding team of YouTube football partners create a diverse and compelling content line up for fans. We’re delighted to join forces with Gillette to build a fantastic new YouTube experience for our passionate football community.’
Tom Thirlwall, CEO, Big Balls Films, added: ‘Big Balls Films is delighted to be the content partner for this groundbreaking and unique initiative between two of the world’s most famous brands. We’ve created fresh formats that reflect real football fans; their agony, ecstasy, humour and love for the game. Gillette Football Club is a landmark initiative and at Big Balls we pride ourselves in being at the forefront of next generation media we look forward to being a part of its success.’
The platform will incorporate Gillette’s existing partnership with streetfootballworld. For each registration to Gillette Football Club, Gillette will donate one dollar (up to a limit of $300,000) to streetfootballworld allowing users to make a difference in helping improve the lives of young people around the world through the power of football.
Jürgen Griesbeck, Founder and CEO of streetfootballworld, commented: ‘streetfootballworld is delighted to join the Gillette Football Club. Through this partnership millions of fans around the world will find out that football is much more than a game. streetfootballworld supports a global network of local organisations that is working every single day to help young people – boys and girls – overcome issues like poverty, disease and a lack of education.’
‘We hope that the Gillette Football Club will encourage fans to get in the game and help us reach our goal – to change the world through football.’
The channel will launch in ‘Beta’ mode, and will be improved in terms of content and functionality in the coming weeks.
