Octagon, the global sports and entertainment marketing arm of Interpublic Group, has today launched a global branded entertainment campaign for client Standard Chartered Bank.
Standard Chartered and Liverpool Football Club are bringing ‘Reds’ fans everywhere even closer to the club they love through Inside Anfield – a unique virtual reality experience – launching ahead of the Club’s first home game of the season this Saturday 10th v Leicester City.
Get a feel for it here:
When Octagon was appointed by the bank to activate the Liverpool FC partnership, the agency quickly got to the core of the challenge.
Standard Chartered Bank’s biggest markets are in Asia. Its biggest sponsorship is a football club in the north west of England. When 99 per cent of your audience will never get the chance to visit the home of your biggest sponsorship investment, and the iconic heartbeat of the sponsorship itself, you have a problem.
Or do you?
The use of innovative technology and immersive storytelling allowed the bank to not just overcome this barrier, but to use the remoteness of LFC fans from their beloved club’s home as a strength.
Liverpool FC has millions of fans all over the world and this virtual experience, that was shot using 360 degree cameras, gives fans that may never have the opportunity to visit Anfield the closest experience to really being there, including hearing fans sing the famous ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.
Liverpool FC Ambassador Robbie Fowler and Legend John Barnes also feature, taking fans with them on the Anfield journey.
Inside Anfield takes fans on a virtual tour of the stadium. With unprecedented access to Anfield and some of the club’s biggest stars as their guides. The VR experience includes a never before seen view inside the players’ dressing room on a live game day, allowing fans to experience through the eyes of a player what it feels like to be a part of a Jürgen Klopp team talk.
The film puts the fan in the players’ shoes, giving them a unique insight into this inner sanctum in the build up to walking out in front of an Anfield home crowd.
“VR is at its most powerful when it solves a real world problem – rather than being used for gimmicks sake. Providing the millions of Red’s fans across the globe with this amazing virtual access to the club they love, is about as potent an application of this form of storytelling that we have seen in recent times,” said Octagon APAC MD Ben Hartman.
Inside Anfield has launched on Standard Chartered Bank and Liverpool FC’s global social media channels. It will also be available on-site at Anfield for match-going fans to enjoy using virtual reality headsets at Liverpool FC’s first home game of the 2016/17 season – the first ever game played in front of the club’s redeveloped Main Stand.
Standard Chartered and Octagon are touring the VR film experience to its key global markets. A custom built version of the famous Reds locker room is visiting SCB branches and special events in locations including Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Dubai, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Kenya and Indonesia.
Karen Fawcett, CEO for Retail Banking at Standard Chartered, commented, “We’re very proud to have the opportunity to bring this extraordinary Anfield experience to Liverpool fans around the world. This innovative technology really puts you right in the stadium!”
Credits:
Concept and Creation: Octagon
Adam Hodge, Head of Strategy, APAC
Lizi Hamer, Regional Creative Director
Jeanette Won, Senior Account Manager
Jasmine Er, Account Manager
Brenda Wong, Project Coordinator
Production: Milkmoney
Matt Taylor, Executive Producer
Richard Mullane, Director
Russ Tommy, DOP
Netti Martin, Producer
Charlotte O’Rouke, Producer
Client: Standard Chartered Bank
Marc Davies, Senior Manager, Sponsorships
Helen Morgan, Manager, Sponsorships
