MIXX Awards Europe Winners 2019 - Dare To Sponsor (LDV United)

LDV United

Dare To Sponsor

Awards: Grand Prix; Integrated Advertising (Gold) and Social Media (Silver)

Campaign summary
Special Olympics needed to get more sponsors. In order to convince companies to sponsor athletes with a mental disability we made a full integrated B2B campaign. Targeting major brands through personalised direct mail, billboards in front of their own headquarters, a touching online movie and the support of Belgians top athletes on social media.

1. Objectives and Strategy
   Special Olympics provides sports training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities. They are funded by private partners, but in need of extra financial support to keep up with their growing member numbers. So, the main objective was finding new leads and get potential sponsors to commit to a long-term partnership.

   But how do you get the attention of major brands in a competitive charity-/sponsorship- market situation?
   By presenting our athletes not as a good cause, but as a smart investment. Because even though they have an intellectual disability, they too win gold medals and break records.

   The campaign was aimed at big brands and companies. To achieve our goal, we set out three target groups:
   1. Primary prospects, getting a personalized treatment.
   2. Secondary prospects, reached through social media and media.
   The many people. Giving an extra push to our first target groups. And talking about social inclusion.

2. Execution and Media
   The idea? Copying existing sponsorship campaigns. For example: we put their picture on a can, like our Belgium Red Devils on a can of Coca Cola. We made them shave as if for a Gillette commercial. And put their face on a billboard holding a product.

   This idea was translated in a fully integrated approach. First of all, we’ve launched an online film, daring our primary prospects like P&G and Coca-Cola company directly to cast one of our special athletes in their next commercials. On the same day, we made sure that our Gillette print, featuring a shaving special athlete, was placed on a billboard in front of P&G’s headquarters. Moreover, we’ve also sent direct e-mails and a follow up direct mail containing a can featuring a special athlete.

3. Creative
   Next, we’ve broadened up the campaign to reach secondary prospects. For them, we bought – with limited budget - online banners on marketing websites and Instagram ads, and pushed our content on LinkedIn, showing banners who challenged brands to #daretosponsor.

   The press loved the surprise and in collaboration with influencer athletes on social media, the campaign kicked off with huge first PR-wave, reaching out to our last target group, sport fans. Multiple companies were charmed by the challenges, some even responding with a video on social, featuring their CEO who accepted the challenge. Each new sponsor, resulted in a new PR-wave.

4. Innovation
   To convince big brands to sponsor, we’ve used a unique approach to make a B2B campaign in a B2C-setting. We needed the support of sports heroes and sport fans to put pressure on potential sponsors.
   Besides, we hijacked well known sponsor formats such as TV-commercials, billboards and product placement. We showed in an original and fresh way how special athletes have the same abilities as famous sports professionals.
5. Results
   In PR, we had a total reach of over 16 million views and an earned media value of more than 719.000 euros.

   But more importantly, we found the extra sponsors that Special Olympics needed so badly. We convinced 10 of Belgium’s major brands to start a new partnership with Special Olympics. Including Procter & Gamble, Coca Cola (Aquarius), BNP Paribas, Mylène, Red Bull, Telenet, MCcain, Johnson & Johnson and Nestlé. Enabling over 800 athletes to continue training and competing in Special Olympics. Up till today, we are talking with new potential partners. Because every top athlete deserves a top sponsor.