Background information
In this week’s egtabite, we take a closer look at an innovative format from Canada, deployed throughout this year’s FIFA World Cup. This campaign makes the most of the immediacy of radio while joining forces with an eye-catching digital out-of-home campaign.
The concept
Bell Media – Canada’s leading content creation company with premier assets in television, radio, digital and OOH media – unveiled a massive first-to-market disruptive radio and OOH campaign in partnership with Frito-Lay. This partnership represents a unique initiative with the brand’s agency OMD.
During the current FIFA World Cup, every time the Canadian Men’s National Team scores a goal, the celebrations begin on Astral’s digital OOH boards (Astral is the out-of-home division of Bell Media). Digital OOH is interrupted with instant Frito-Lay creative in six key markets. Digital boards located in bars and restaurants also power up in celebration mode, switching creative within minutes of a goal. In addition, in a first-ever experience, 17 Bell Media radio stations across the country will simultaneously interrupt programming with “breaking news” and a Frito-Lay tag to announce a Canadian goal, with instantaneous supplementary support across stations’ social media channels.
For the duration of the World Cup, advertisements on select roadside digital boards coordinate with advertisements on select Bell Media radio stations as part of Astral’s exclusive Radio-to-Road ad synching programme in six major markets. When radio listeners hear a Frito-Lay ad, the roadside digital boards receive a signal to display a Frito-Lay creative for even stronger amplification.
If there had not been any goals in the previous matches, radio announcers across Canada would have broken into programming during Canada’s third match, with the message: “Team Canada is hitting the pitch right now, so let’s all stand up and cheer, honk, and make some noise with Frito-Lay!” A similar message would run across OOH digital boards.
Reactions
“We are delighted to work with Frito-Lay and OMD on this unique and disruptive advertising campaign that demonstrates what Bell Media can deliver to brands by harnessing the power of our leading assets,” said Perry MacDonald, VP, Advertising Sales and Partnerships, Bell Media. “Frito-Lay’s eye-catching, celebratory campaign creates a distinctive opportunity to unite Canadians coast-to-coast in cheering on the Canadian Men’s National Team.”
“As the first-ever salty-snack brand collaboration in FIFA World Cup history, Frito-Lay is excited to celebrate Canada’s return to the FIFA World Cup pitch after a 36-year hiatus. The qualifying campaign inspired the country. We know Canadians will be following a lot more closely this year to cheer on Canada’s team. With the timing of the tournament falling within the holiday period, we wanted to ensure that Canadians could celebrate in real-time even when they aren’t able to tune into the live broadcast,” said Jessica Spaulding, CMO PepsiCo Foods Canada. “We are thrilled to be working with Bell in a first of its kind execution, integrating real-time signals and breaking news through their Radio-to-Road offering.”
Bell Media’s TSN and CTV are the official broadcasters of the FIFA World Cup in Canada, with complete tournament coverage of all 64 games beginning Sunday 20th November all the way to the final on Sunday 18th December.
