Why DP World Tour, Callaway and Marcus Armitage teamed up to brake a world record
DP World Tour and Callaway Golf won at The Drum Awards for Marketing 2022 in the Sport and Leisure category. Here, we find out more about what went into their successful project...
In April 2021, the DP World Tour staged a Guinness World Record attempt of epic proportions. Filmed on a runway in York, professional golfer Marcus Armitage had to land a golf ball into a moving car at over 273 yards to break a record previously set in 2012.
The brief
DP World Tour needed to promote itself and its key commercial partner, Callaway, by producing an engaging and accessible video that could transcend typical golf fans and appeal to wider sports fans. On top of that, it had to promote Callaway’s latest driver as a product that has incredible ball speeds and accuracy, performs for golfers in a wide range of conditions and enhances the Tour’s reputation for quality, creative social content that drives earned conversations.
The idea
The tour set out to drive engagement with non-golf fans by taking this traditionally slow and somewhat straitlaced sport and reimagining it in an energetic, fast-paced and thrilling way. Plus, this had to be done in a way that authentically incorporated Callaway brand messaging and product integration, without detracting from the audience’s enjoyment of the piece.
DP World Tour hand-picked golfer Marcus Armitage and racing driver Paul O’Neill to star as the golfer and driver due to their skill and charisma, while clever storytelling including setup, anticipation, near-misses and music changes all served to increase the jeopardy and excitement.
To make sure the audience knew that the challenge the tour was attempting was innovative, game-changing and credible, it utilized a link with Guinness World Records.
High-quality production values and visual scale were employed to engage the audience and stand out from other sports media content.
DP World Tour also utilized an innovative distribution/syndication plan to drive reach. Following a series of teasers on DP World Tour social platforms to build interest, it was also released to multiple associated channels including Guinness World Records, BMW, Callaway, Sky Sports, Discovery and others.
Platform-specific edits were created to suit respective audiences, including longer YouTube versions, 60-second TikTok edits, bespoke Instagram imagery and stories, while follow-up content (best moments, unseen angles, behind-the-scenes ‘making ofs’) were captured to capitalize on the success of the main piece and extend its reach.
The results
The event became the most-watched and engaged for the Tour group, receiving 41m views, 4.2m engagements and 59m impressions. It was shared far and wide across an extensive variety of online, broadcast and print media and featured on Sky Sports, BBC Sport, BBC Breakfast, The One Show, Guardian, Reuters and more.
Notable media, sporting and celebrity influencers shared the content and helped by activating the Tour’s dedicated app that alerts pro golfers of key content they can share on social media. The campaign was also distributed via live tournament broadcast to 39 broadcasters in 160 plus territories, exceeding the high expectations of a key commercial partner Callaway. This delivered a vital ROI, fan engagement and brand awareness.
The Tour’s position/reputation was also reaffirmed as an industry leader in sports social content, verified in feedback and comments from players, digital/print media, fans and industry influencers.
This campaign was a winner at The Drum Awards for Marketing 2022. You can see all the winners here.
And check out which of The Drum Awards are currently open for entry.