26 Mar 2018 World Cup: Panini Campaign – Digital

The 2018 World Cup was one of the most watched programs across television and online streaming platforms. In collaboration with our long-term partner Gilt Edge Soccer Marketing, we created this promotional campaign as an integrated marketing strategy that would target both Spanish and English language outlets, digital platforms, and social media influences. The objective was to boost purchases and participation in Panini America’s sticker album and digital trading app specifically for the World Cup. The 2018 Panini World Cup Campaign was among the biggest in Panini’s history.

The Digital Campaign

Due to the United States’ failure to qualify for the World Cup, a large part of the target audience was focused on U.S. Hispanics. Partnerships with platforms like NBC Universo proved lucrative in viewership. Over 6.4 million views were documented on Telemundo, and 1.6 million views on NBC Universo for segments discussing the Panini World Cup products. Other 30-second on-air promotions through Spanish speaking channels beIN Sports and Fox Deportes brought in over 35 million impressions for their segment that announced the launch of the booklet and encouraged viewers to purchase at retail locations.  On-air promotions were integrated into beIN Sport’s Panini Facebook Live Show, which gained over 3 million total impressions.

Utilizing influencers on platforms like Instagram and YouTube created a new scope for the campaign. Personalities such as Fernando Fiore and Stuart Holden were selected to promote Panini with original content. Original video, vignettes, talent call-outs on live television, and even a custom Panini suit and tie were created for official 2018 Panini Spokesperson, Fernando Fiore. Stuart Holden participated in the promotional campaign by sharing Panini content on his social media platforms, as well as creating original videos to display the products. Pope Francis was gifted his own personal Panini Sticker and album, interviewed on Telemundo and shared throughout their social media.

Unique content created for social media allowed viewers to feel immersed in the World Cup. For each day of the World Cup, an infographic would be specifically designed with insights from a game played, told from the players’ perspective. Graphics were created with Panini’s World Cup branding and featured on their social media accounts. To increase social media reach, over 300 custom made Panini stickers were sent to influencers and heavyweights in the soccer community, including media personalities from Telemundo, ESPN, and Univision.

Through digital media efforts, digital banners were featured on platforms such as SOCCER.COM, World Soccer Shop and Telemundo and focused on reaching Panini’s specific target audiences. The banners were strategically placed to reach those streaming World Cup games on apps or websites. This provided over 10.4 million impressions alone. The campaign was also featured in a Sports Illustrated Editorial, which was tweeted to their followers—over 1 million users.

Objectives

The objective of the digital aspect of the campaign was to target a Hispanic audience though Spanish speaking outlets. By creating custom content and developing a foundation of familiarity through Instagram influencers and television personalities, we were able to help create one of the biggest Panini World Cup Campaigns in the U.S. by boosting purchasing and participation in Panini album sales and trading through unique and familiar outlets.