Client : Barclaycard
Project : World Free Run Championships 2008
Product : Contactless Payment Technology
Make payments quickly and securely, saving shoppers the hassle of paying with cash or entering PIN codes.
My Role:
Campaign & Channel Strategy, Pitch, Client Management & satisfaction, Accountable for overall result
Creative Inspiration : "Glide with us"
Brand Objective:
Brand Perception & Affinity
Barclaycard wanted to challenge the conventions of financial advertising in order to drive brand reappraisal and nudge consideration. Likewise, digital needed to behave in a fresh and innovative way to engage a younger, more tech and marketing savvy audience.
Target:
Free-running enthusiasts
New niche audience for Barclaycard. 16-25 Urbanites, active interest in Free-running.
Cosmopolitan Aspirers
Tend to be urbanites, aged 20-35, with a world view and experience. Although hardworking they make time to travel and really enjoy an adventure. They look at life optimistically and have plans to secure their dreams which, if dependent on borrowing, know they’ll be in a position to pay back.
Technology plays a major role in both their leisure and work lives and they are confident and curious about innovations. The internet and mobile equipment help them make the most of their time. They’re frequently connected; at work, checking the BlackBerry whilst commuting …sensitive to the beep whenever/wherever it goes off.
Solution:
We needed the find a way to deepen our engagement with our target, Cosmopolitan Aspirers. As much as the Waterslide campaign had resonated with them there was still a lot of work to do in terms of driving brand re-appraisal and building affinity. Essentially we wanted to try to create a movement, rather than a one off connection. The challenge was to do so without it seeming contrived.
A partnership with Urban Freeflow brought about the first ever Barclaycard Free Running Championships at the Round House in Camden, London on 3rd September 2008. 6 Weeks before the event we launched a branded YouTube channel which housed rich insider info into the sport such as video biographies detailing the back stories of the athletes, insider tips and tricks in Free Running and essentially a better understanding of and proximity to an otherwise out of reach sport.
The media plan consisted of digital display, GDN, Digital OOH and a ton of PR. For the live event, we streamed to our YouTube channel to ensure access to those who were unable to secure a ticket.
