Tiktok Launches First Euro 2020 Ad Campaign
TikTok has launched a new campaign to celebrate the return of fans ahead of this year’s rescheduled UEFA EURO 2020.
The social media platform is an Official Partner of the event, and is the first social platform to sponsor a major football tournament.
In its first work for TikTok, London-based creative agency Dark Horses – who will handle the platform’s partnership activation – aims to capture the excitement of a year’s worth of waiting with a global campaign that invites fans across the globe to get involved in the magic of the tournament.
The hero TV spot, directed by Daniel Kaufman and produced through Anonymous Content, ‘takes the passion, excitement and energy of the UEFA EUROs and smashes it together with the fun, inclusivity and playfulness of TikTok’.
The spot takes some of the most iconic moments from Euros gone by, and overlays them with current TikTok content. Moments such as Cristiano Ronaldo’s free kick against Wales at EURO 2016 – which is saved by a cat instead of hitting the back of the net – or Paul Gascoigne’s ‘dentist chair’ celebration – who is instead watered by a gardener – feature, but are given the TikTok treatment.
Football content has had a significant rise on the platform in the last few months, with over 119 billion views on the #football hashtag – increasing from 70 billion when the UEFA EURO partnership was announced in February this year.
Using the endline ‘where fans play’, the work will use the tournament and beyond to demonstrate the endless fun football fans can find on TikTok, cementing the platform’s connection with football.
The wider campaign will also see a large-scale station takeover in Munich as well as massive OOH sites in Moscow and St Petersburg – all sitting alongside sponsorship assets including TV idents, LED boards, and giant screen content.
The campaign will run in key markets across Europe with a ‘key focus’ on the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia and Germany, Turkey, MENA and Japan.
“The last time we had a EUROs, TikTok hadn’t even launched,” said Steve Howell, Creative Partner, Dark Horses.
“Yep, it didn’t even exist. That’s how long it’s been. But finally, the EUROs are happening. And the hottest digital entertainment platform on the planet is sponsoring it. ‘Where fans play’ is the alchemy of everything that’s brilliant about an international football tournament – iconic moments on the pitch and unforgettable emotions off it.”
James Rothwell, Head of Marketing, Europe, TikTok said: “It’s been a long year for football fans waiting for the EUROs and now it’s here the excitement is palpable. This campaign isn’t just about celebrating the return of football but giving those expectant fans around the world a way to get involved in the return of the beautiful game – whether they’re lucky enough to get a ticket or watching elsewhere. It’s been a thrilling journey working with Dark Horses to create this campaign.”
The TV spot launched on 24th May ahead of the UEFA Champions League final on the 29th May, which TikTok sees as a key milestone in the build-up to the tournament. It will also run during key games throughout UEFA EURO 2020.
