The usual style of football boot launch - Famous footballers demonstrating things like speed, power, or control - was getting boring for our consumers. If they want to see the Worlds best, playing football, they can flick on any channel. And research proved that they buy boots not on what they do, but on what people are saying about them.
So we created an idea that cut through the ‘seen before’ football advertising, got everybody talking, on every channel, and gave the audience the most unlikely reason to buy… ‘haters’. Taking adidas from supplier of kit, to supplier of swagger.
Our most controversial footballers of the moment, Luis Suarez, Messi, Bale, Benzema et al - facing up to all the abuse that comes their way. Honest and real, merging football, fashion, music, and banter, let every kid who’s been called XXXX go shoulder-to-shoulder with our heroes, shrug n'say - #therewillbehaters
The Campaign
Launching footy boots to 14-19 year olds used to be about celebrating the good stuff, product features, speed, agility, tech, etc. NOT ANYMORE!!!
See if you’re the best player with the best kit... #THEREWILLBEHATERS!!! This campaign called out those trolls before they tweeted another word, and turned hate into a product feature.
We kicked off with the Worlds greatest footballers. Highlighting all the things the ‘haters’ hate about them. Why? Because they wish they were in their ‘shiny new adidas boots’.
This started an epic conversation, on the channels our audience are most active. Every adidas player supported it, stamping the hashtag on all their posts. We stormed the press, pitch-side-hoardings, game-time-social, outdoor, to the store. An ever growing, reactive, responsive, story that became the most socially successful adidas campaign ever.
Now everyone wishes they had some haters of their own AND a shiny new pair of adidas boots.
Creative Execution
THE TEASE - Social videos of our protagonists and their most hated feature posted on Facebook, Vine, Instagram, and Twitter by us and the players.
THE KICK OFF - Launch film via YouTube, Facebook-Video, and Twitter-Video. The film started multiple stories, seeded to influencers and supported by the players, introducing #therewillbehaters, and linking direct to online store.
PR - As expected, global TV, press, and online media loved the story. Every adidas player tweeted using the #hashtag.
SOCIAL - Social feeds re-skinned. Cheeky, reactive, social-posts, starting individual stories about everything football. From live game-time commentary to new signings.
THE RESPONSE - We responded to 80% of comments on all channels. Everyone asked 'where's Messi?' We responded with a bespoke film.
OUTDOOR - Pitchside-Hoardings, Posters.
PRESS - key media placements globally (covers, spreads)
RETAIL - adidas stores globally skinned with the campaign key visuals from the window to the checkout.
+45m FILM VIEWS
+400k SHARES
+600k MENTIONS OF HASHTAG
+10m LIKES, FAVES & COMMENTS
85% POSITIVE COMMENTS
15% NEGATIVE COMMENTS
+70% INCREASE IN ADIDAS.COM TRAFFIC
+750m GLOBAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS