The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

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By Seb Joseph, News editor

February 17, 2015 | 3 min read

Heineken is branching out its efforts to reach more fans in the heat of the moment on Champions League nights with a revamped social media strategy served alongside a wider pool of content around matches.

The move expands on the brewer’s popular 'Share the Sofa' campaign that allowed fans to connect with stars such as Ruud Guullit and Hernan Crespo over Twitter during matches. Alongside live match commentary from nine footballing legends, fans can also add a Heineken celebrity to their second-screen content alongside additional surprises from the brewer.

It shifts Heineken’s Champions League efforts to a more entertainment-driven offering that stretches the brand’s content funnel through pre-game build up, the match itself and into the post-match debate. The brewer has previously hailed its Twitter Q&As for their domination of online chatter during Champions League matches and offering fans a unique perspective on the game that they will not get from TV coverage.

Heineken wants the additional features, created by DDB & Tribal Worldwide Amsterdam, to encourage fans to host their own Champions League nights with friends at which the beer’s branding would be at the core. Social media has been at the heart of the brewer’s Champion League activations in recent years, driven by its KPI to be the only beer associated with the event.

Hans Erik Tuijt, global activation director at Heineken, said: “The games are social occasions that last longer than just the 90 minutes on the pitch. Fans’ match day rituals are important and we want to help them make the most of the whole experience, not just the match itself. We want to encourage fans to host the ultimate match nights – be that at home or in bars; watching the matches with friends.”

A TV ad updates Heineken's previous attempts to show the lengths fans will go to in order to watch the match, documenting the trials and tribulations a sailor at sea goes through in order to get the match screened on a boat. Additional idents will run on match nights featuring Barcelona player Xavi promoting the 'Champion the Match’ social media push.

Promotions in the on and off-trade will roll out in over 90 market between now and the final in May with the headline offer giving fans the chance to win prizes of every match in selected areas. Heineken’s Trophy Tour is returning for the ninth consecutive year, letting fans take their picture with the trophy.

Heineken penned a three year extension of the Champions League in 2013, having backed the tournament since 2005.

Heineken Champions League

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