In fall 2014 FC Zurich Women, the top Swiss women’s football team, qualified for the UEFA Womens Champions League for the sixth time. A massive achievement. However, the media barely took notice and the big game threatened to become a closed session. We had to find a way of getting the match, the team and the players the attention they deserved.
In the absence of any considerable budget we had to involve mass media to spread the news to the broad and heterogenic target group. To give media and public something to talk about we had to come up with something new. Something like «Escort Men».
The idea: For the first time, the female players would walk onto the pitch not on the hands of children (as usual) but with grown men. We called upon men in the greater Zurich area to support the women’s team. And we gave them the chance that money can’t buy: to set foot on Stadium Letzigrunds’ hallow turf.
The story spread like wildfire: the biggest newspapers and online media, as well as international, national and local tv stations covered the story of «Escort Men». The result was overwhelming: within two days more than 1’500 men had applied.
Finally the big day arrived for the 11 chosen-ones. They where allowed to walk out onto the pitch with the team of FCZ Women. And the game was won. All in all over 2 Millions Swiss Francs worth of earned media were generated.
The Brief
We had to find a way of getting the match, the team and the players the attention they deserved. By reaching a broad audience via PR, we wanted to let people know that the FCZ Women are playing a highly important UEFA Champions League game - and that they should come to the stadium, watch TV, support the team.
Execution
Day One: Press release with teaser film, launch website www.begleitmaenner.ch
Day Two: Interviews with media; managing application on website
Day Three: Releasing first testimonial stories with applicants (online, print, radio)
Day Four: Overwhelmed by the response, the application had to be stopped; second press release, changing the teaser film
Day Five: Exclusive story in Switzerland’s biggest Sunday newspaper (SonntagsZeitung)
Day 6: Third press release: the 11 chosen ones were selected
Day 7: Exclusive stories with the escort men in newspapers and radio
Champions League Game Day:
Coverage of the game as well as of the preparation and experience of the escort men on national and local television, several newspaper and online media and radio
Aftermath: One-Page Interview with Escort Men in the biggest national daily newspaper (Blick), coverage on national TV (SRF), local TV (Tele Zueri), Radio (SRF 1, 24) and other Media.
Output/Awareness
Media coverage:
- Print: 13 articles (70% with picture) in many of the country’s biggest newspapers (1/4 - 1/1 Pages)
- Online/Mobile: 30 articles (95 % with pictures and/or video)
- TV: 3 appearances
- Radio: 3 appearances
Online Recruitment Film: 50’000 views within 24h (Youtube only). In 48 hours, 1’500 applied to become an Escort Man. After that, the recruitment film was taken off the net.
Knowledge/Consideration
Favourable v. unfavourable:
- Only one article was critical (Kicker, Germany)
In an independent survey amongst readers of the biggest free newspaper of Switzerland,
“20 Minutes”, 70% voted in favour of the campaign:
Business impact:
Campaign Microsite: Within 48h after launch the website had 50'000 unique visits.
Spectators: The game was played in front of 4'112 spectators. League games usually attract 150 – 200 fans.
Qualitative: Massive overall increase in media coverage, invitations to international tournaments, new sponsors.
The Strategy
In the absence of any considerable budget we needed to involve mass media to spread the news in order to increase the number of spectators assisting the game.The target audience was broad and heterogenic. Of course, we wanted to reach up and foremost men - the football fan group number one, neglecting women's football in general. But ten also everyone else, men, women, kids and families alike – most of them unaware of the quality of women’s football in Switzerland.
We needed a story for all stakeholders. Not only football-related but relevant to everyone: «Escort Men» turned out to be ideal: new and fresh, light hearted and easy accessible, and playfully addressing the ever-present gender-theme.