Standard Chartered invites Liverpool fans to virtual Anfield

SINGAPORE - Standard Chartered Bank's biggest markets are in Asia, but its biggest sponsorship is a football club in the northwest of England.

When 99 percent of your audience will never get the chance to visit the home of your biggest sponsorship investment, what do you do?

Launching ahead of Liverpool’s first home game of the season tomorrow, versus Leicester City, Standard Chartered and Liverpool Football Club are bringing ‘Reds’ fans everywhere even closer to the club with 'Inside Anfield'.

The project takes fans on a virtual tour of the stadium, created by Octagon, the global sports and entertainment marketing arm of Interpublic Group and shot using 360-degree cameras.

The 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.

Liverpool FC Ambassador Robbie Fowler and legend John Barnes also feature, taking fans with them on the Anfield journey.

Inside Anfield has launched on Standard Chartered and Liverpool FC’s global social-media channels. It will also be available on-site at Anfield via virtual reality headsets and will be taken on tour to key global markets. A custom built version of the famous Reds locker room is visiting Standard Chartered branches and special events in locations including Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Dubai, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Kenya and Indonesia.

Karen Fawcett, CEO, retail banking at Standard Chartered:

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!

Ben Hartman, managing director, Octagon APAC:

VR is at its most powerful when it solves a real world problem—rather than being used for gimmick's 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.

Campaign Asia-Pacific’s view: To confess, I am probably the wrong member of the editorial team to be reviewing this effort. I’m that cheeky one who calls it “soccer” just to annoy British colleagues. That being said, anyone can appreciate a well made virtual tour, and this is one of them.

I particularly liked the fact that the video takes you through different parts of the stadium, which essentially refreshes the option of scrolling around, making things much more interesting.

Inside Anfield is a short but engaging peek into the hallowed halls of one of the biggest football clubs in the world and the seamless execution of stiching 360 video footage of multiple scenes together, paired with voiceovers and well-known footballers sharing anecdotes, is sure to make fans happy.

In all, a great answer to a brand’s challenge of how to make the most of its sponsorship deal when target audience and sponsored party sit on opposite sides of the world. This is said to be the first of many activation activities the bank is planning, and I’m certainly curious to see what’s next in the coming months.

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