The best and worst sports marketing campaigns of 2024
In the true Christmas spirit of judging others, I’ve looked at my favourite – and not so favourite – sports marketing campaigns of 2024.
I had planned to hand out awards with categories based on the startling number of current football pundits who were in Graham Taylor’s Euro 92 England squad. The Gary Lineker Award for Campaign Most Likely to Annoy the Daily Mail, the Martin Keown Say What You See Prize and the Alan Shearer Award for That’s My Only Point and I’m Sticking to It. Alas, word count limitations mean you, dear reader, are denied such frivolity.
Let’s begin by unwrapping the greatest gift of all in 2024: the Paris Olympics and Paralympics. Wonderfully staged, a stunning visual design identity, and the ringing of a Notre Dame bell by gold medal winners in the Stade de France.
Paris was perfectly pitched and saw the smartest and simplest sponsorship campaign of the year, with every medal ceremony ending with the medallists taking a Samsung ‘Victory Selfie’. It all culminated with Channel 4’s celebratory Paralympics coverage (and subtle campaigning), with 20m tuning in. Rose Ayling-Ellis’s presenting was innovative, moving and a genuine step forward.
Nike’s ‘Winning Isn’t For Everyone’ Olympics activation was heralded by many yet felt out of step with the Olympic spirit and downright strange when the bolshy billboards looked down on crowds of fans who were very much there to ‘take part’. Probably best to stay out of the territory Under Armour already owns.
The swoosh’s eternal rivals Adidas went big for the Euros with their ‘Hey Jude’ campaign. The song is an alternative national anthem and Bellingham had a storming season, so it all made sense. Was it all a little too obvious and ‘meh’? Maybe.
The best activation of Euro 2024 was the British Heart Foundation’s excellent ‘England Till I Die’. The worst, those unlucky partners who plumped for Jack Grealish as the face of their campaigns. He didn’t make the squad, but the nation still saw endless ads for the ‘official condiments partner’. Not even climate change can end the UK marketing’s industry’s obsession with the potential of British BBQs.
Rugby union’s problems continue to mount, yet the signing of a US female star offers insight into what is possible. Bristol Bears’ work in unveiling Ilona Maher showed that the game can showcase individual stars, and the wider sport can benefit. In 2025 she can transcend the sport and reach new audiences in the way perhaps only Jonah Lomu has before.
Of course, the NFL continues to lead the way in laser-targeting new fans. Last week’s Bengals v Cowboys game featured a ‘Funday Football Alt-Cast’ played out in a ‘The Simpsons’ universe. Homer Simpson threw a touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb and Chief Wiggum provided pop-up analysis. Social media went crazy, traditionalists lost their mind and kids loved it. Job done.
This Girl Can’s work still sets the standard and they did it again with ‘Let’s Lift The Curfew’. It’s been a big year for the EFL: more live games than ever before on Sky and an activation in an immersive theatre in Los Angeles with a Wrexham game screened live for an audience positioned as if they were amongst the fans. Bang on cue, Wrexham scored a last-minute winner and the images of Rob McEIhenney celebrating travelled far and wide.
Now, the naughty list. Uefa continues to copy the NFL with their Champions League Final singer miming to an audience of millions. The crowd and broadcasters continue to ignore it.
Chelsea’s piercing-heavy ‘punk’ third kit launch certainly got eyes rolling. Orange’s ‘WoMen Football’ deepfake ad got lots of awards for tackling gender bias, even though it felt like it was through a male lens – which surely is part of the problem? And a special round of applause (sorry) too for Fifa and their genuinely jaw-dropping Saudi Arabia 2034 campaign.
I’m not one for resolutions but keep an eye in 2025 on Sail GP targeting Formula 1 fans, the Premier League edging closer to having their own TV platform and a flurry of football clubs joining ‘Back In The Game’ – an initiative to make matchdays accessible again for men affected by prostate cancer.
Most of all let’s hope we all receive the gift of no more tepid behind-the-scenes sports docuseries. It’s been done with diminishing returns, so let’s raise a glass to new ideas!
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Matthew Fletcher-Jones is a sports communications consultant.