FOOTBALL DECODED

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Case Film

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TitleFOOTBALL DECODED
BrandMICROSOFT
Product/ServiceXBOX / FIFA 18
Category A05. Data Visualisation
Entrant McCANN LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Idea Creation McCANN LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Media Placement CARAT London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production CRAFT LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Production 2 SOMESUCH London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production 3 TWENTYFOUR SEVEN Madrid, SPAIN
Credits
Name Company Position
Rob Doubal and Laurence Thomson McCann London Co-Presidents and Chief Creative Officers
Sanjiv Mistry and Jamie Mietz McCann London Executive Creative Directors
Jim Nilsson McCann London Copywriter
Jacob Björdal McCann London Art Director
Robert Stockton McCann London Account Manager
Francois d’Espagnac, Matteo Della Venezia and Tom Oliver McCann London Account Directors
Sailesh Jani McCann London Managing Partner
Rob Smith McCann London EVP
Paul Gillespie McCann London Senior Project Manager
Claire Colohan and Rebecca Wilford Craft/McCann Producers
Sergio Lopez Craft/McCann Chief Production Officer EMEA
Karen Crum McCann London Head of Planning
Fanni David McCann London Senior Planner
Jack Goss McCann London Planning Intern
Omri Cohen Somesuch Director
Todd Martin Somesuch Director of Photography
Louise Gagen Somesuch Producer
Seth Wilson Somesuch Executive Producer
Reimer Eisig and Lennard van der Last Somesuch Composers
Chris Graves Craft/McCann Music Supervisor
Adam Smyth and Giselle Hall Craft/McCann Senior Sound Engineer and Sound Engineer
Mariona Sauret, Adam Ryzman and Francis Harris Craft/McCann Editors
Miriam Sasiain Twentyfour Seven Production Manager
Yasmina Ikimou Twentyfour Seven Production Coordinator
Lucas Cuevas Twentyfour Seven 1st AD
Frodo Martinez Twentyfour Seven 2nd AD
Ivo Van Vollenhoven Twentyfour Seven Ext. Producer
Bea Cañete Twentyfour Seven Producer
Joe Richardson Craft/McCann Artworker
Liam White Craft/McCann Print Producer
Ellis Faint Craft/McCann Studio Manager

Why is this work relevant for Creative Data?

This campaign is relevant for Creative Data, because it was an idea that had data gathering and visualisation at its core. At a time when Xbox had lost the FIFA marketing rights and were unable to advertise the game, we instead turned the skills that happened on the field during real football matches into the corresponding Xbox commands. Whether on perimeter boards or commentary or in post-match newspaper reports, the executions decoded real football moves, allowing gamers to re-create them on Xbox, and become better at FIFA 18. All while Xbox never even mentioned FIFA.

Background

‘FIFA 18’ was going to be a crucial videogame for Xbox. But our competitor, PlayStation, had bought all the FIFA marketing rights. We couldn’t even show our own game packshot. So how could we market a game we were forbidden from marketing?

Describe the idea/data solution

We leveraged something bigger than videogame football – real football, the beautiful game. In partnership with Real Madrid and a top gamer, we utilised the data of every pass, every shot, every possible combination on the pitch, and translated it into the corresponding Xbox controller buttons for ‘FIFA 18’. Across everything from audio commentary to pitchside perimeter boards to newspaper match reports, this approach linked FIFA with Xbox in the minds of gamers, without ever mentioning the game or contravening the marketing deal. But this data didn’t just speak about FIFA – it made our target audience better at it on Xbox.

Describe the data driven strategy

The situation was an almost impossible one for Xbox. Forbidden from mentioning FIFA, showing any game assets or even a packshot meant that we had to approach the problem laterally. So, we leveraged the one thing with a bigger and more passionate fan base than videogame football – actual football. Every moment of a football game – every piece of data – was translated into the corresponding Xbox command. At a time when we couldn’t even mention FIFA, we instead gathered data from matches in real time, and shared them with our fanbase – thereby educating and making them better at the game. This wasn’t just data for the sake of data. It was a truly useful service for all FIFA fans.

Describe the creative use of data, or how the data enhanced the creative output

Together with a FIFA expert, we translated the moves, passes, tackles, shots, and dribbles, into Xbox commands. This data was visualised across a range of different media. A trailer introduced the concept to the world. This was followed by reactive social posts that translated Real Madrid’s match highlights. We also did radio commentary on talkSport, animated perimeter boards, and a match report in newspapers – all in the form of Xbox commands.

List the data driven results

- Over 100 million impressions - Reached 650 million spectators per match (x 12 matches) - FIFA unique player base grew 10% year-on-year from launch through to Q3