Unibet: SPECIAL ONE

Credits & Description:

Category: Best Use of Live Events and/or Stunts

Advertiser: UNIBET

Product/Service: ONLINE BETTING

Agency: YOUNGNETWORK

Youngnetwork Communication Consultancy Director: Guadalupe Monfreitas (Youngnetwork)

Youngnetwork Communication Senior Consultant: Andreia Amaro (Youngnetwork)

Media placement: Press - Bets Ans Pokey - 25-05-2011

Media placement: Press - Panenka - 02-06-2011

Media placement: Press - Luux - 02-06-2011

Media placement: Press - Box Office Football - 03-06-2011



Summary of the Campaign



Unibet is an online betting company with a bold communication strategy. Based on current events, online gambling is promoted using iconic persons. As football fans are Unibet's main target, what better person than the 'Special One', Jose Mourinho, to grab their attention? Starting from this idea, a bet was launched about Jose Mourinho being present at the Champions League Final, after his controversial statements about Real Madrid’s elimination.



We headed to Wembley for the Champions League Final, and when it was impossible for us get the real Mourinho we used a look-alike, assuring that the 'Special One' would be 'really' there! We found a Catalan with remarkable similarities to the 'Special One' and the action was set in motion.

The agency launched the teaser: “Where is Jose Mourinho going to watch the Champions League Final?” The odds allocated by Unibet strongly suggested that it could be in London, which created an immediate buzz.



1 day before the game, a viral video was released with the Jose Mourinho look-alike near Stamford Bridge. This video quickly reached 30,000 views. We assured that the press got the video.



Afterwards, the look-alike went to Wembley, carrying a sign with the Unibet’s logo and the following statement: “I should have been at Wembley. Football has been robbed! This game is not over yet.” Millions of pictures were taken and everyone was asking about Unibet.

Approximately 570 news articles were published in 24 countries. The action obtained an ROI of €1,270,000.



The Situation

Promote online betting on a low budget.



The Goal

Grab football fans' attention with a very low budget in a market increasingly monopolized by advertising.



The Strategy

- Choose an iconic person;

- Launch a bet related with this iconic person;

- Create a buzz arround this bet, using the press.



Execution

- Choose an iconic person - (José Mourinho) (April, 2011);

- When it was impossible for us get the real Mourinho, we used a look-alike, assuring that the 'Special One' would be 'really' there! We found a Catalan with remarkable similarities to the 'Special One' (April, 2011);

- A bet was launched about Jose Mourinho being present at the Champions League Final, after his controversial statements about Real Madrid’s elimination (May, 2011);

- The agency flies to London with the José Mourinho look-a-like and shoots videos to put on Youtube that are also sent to the press (26th May, 2011).



Documented Results

This action generated an amazing buzz with 134 tweets, 1,632 Facebook shares, 1,720 Facebook 'likes', and 2,226 Facebook Comments.



Approximately 570 news articles were published in 24 countries. Hundreds of photographs were taken and there were thousands of people applauding in the field.

5 videos were uploaded on YouTube, beating records (1 reached more than 400.000 views). The action obtained a ROI of €1,270,000