remark December 2018 | Page 9

CAMPAIGNS WHICH HAVE TAPPED INTO THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT THE ONLY CALENDAR THAT MATTERS #GAMBLEAWARE For many a football fan around the UK, the festive period is, perhaps, the most wonderful time of the year. Fixtures galore, goals aplenty and drama all round. And Sky have bought this to life in their Festive Football campaign, playfully capitalising on some of the nations favourite things to do at Christmas; meeting up with friends, sharing a drink, and having a good old sing song – all very relatable to football fans on a match day. It seems the campaign has certainly delivered, as it appeals to not only those who brave the cold during the winter to cheer on their team, but also those content with watching matches from the comfort of their own sofa. https://vimeo.com/302803181 “Can we have our ball back?” – an infamous phrase no doubt many a child has had to conjure up on countless occasions. Capitalising on childhood nostalgia, GambleAware have seen the busy festive football calendar as the perfect moment to launch a campaign against gambling in football – nostalgia and Christmas, 2 of the biggest powerhouses in marketing. Off the back of recent legislation removing betting commercials from live sports fixtures, GambleAware pose the question “Is betting taking away our love of the game?” as footballs mysteriously disappear throughout the spot, until ending up on the roof of a betting shop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NGP94qeQQU CHRISTMAS CONNECTIONS ICE ICE AUBY Using ambassadors from all walks of life, the telecoms company is cashing in on both their own and Christmas’ ability to bring people together. Xmas connections sees the likes of Rio Ferdinand revealing that his missus is in charge of the remote control and that Rachel Riley’s tradition revolves around Festive Football. Heart’s in the right place but the forced laughs of those in front of the camera disclose a smash and grab on the festive spirit – 4 pigs in blankets out of 10 (not an official rating) JD sports are flexing the muscles of their ambassador portfolio in this Xmas campaign. To the tune of 12 days of Xmas (Bass Hunter edition), the likes of Anthony Joshua, Aubamayeng and Bugzy Malone break out of ice sculptures wearing the latest street gear. Nothing too ground-breaking here but at a time of manic shopping, seeing their heroes in the latest street wear is more than likely to make the younger generation put a few of these products down on their Xmas lists. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Lm2iEToTfs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjAUC1lOph8 THE LAND OF ICE THE BLUES GO DIGITAL Iceland have truly embraced their namesake by turning one of their supermarkets into a fully functioning ice rink in this fantastic activation. 250 square metres of synthetic ice were lain down across the stores floors in an attempt to convince the 9/10 children who find Christmas shopping boring, that it can be more fun. No real sponsorship news here, but a brilliantly executed activation – their health and safety department must be holding their breath on this one… Chelsea have partnered up with EA Sports to go from an on- pitch focus to an on-screen one. Fans across the world are given the opportunity by Gianfranco Zola, to sign for Chelsea in the comfort of their own home and represent The Blues in the upcoming ePremier League, hosted on the gaming engine FIFA 19. A perfect example of how a collaborative effort can benefit both parties – EA Sports continue to push their latest edition of FIFA, while Chelsea are able to expand their online presence https://vimeo.com/304605896 https://youtu.be/Lojp_EnBHuA