Standard Chartered has released a new video to celebrate its role as the main sponsor for Liverpool FC through the last ten years.
Sports marketing and brand associations are much talked about topics that have real consequences on the amplification of a game. How do you use content to tug at the hearts of those who have even a slight interest in a game? How do you convert them into fans? Why do some people like a game more than others? What constitutes a fandom? Emotions are key to the process, something that reflects in the new Standard Chartered video tribute to its decade-long association with Liverpool FC.
The film has been created and produced by TBWA/Singapore, which has been the global creative agency for Standard Chartered since 2015. Rollo Jackson was roped in to direct the film.
Liverpool Story revolves around a girl who a Liverpool FC fan. Right from her socks to her birthday cake, everything about her likes has a pinch of red to it. The narrative traces her journey into becoming a young woman, whose love for the team grows manifold.
The imagery of the team and her life are juxtaposed in such a way that the connection comes alive in multiple narratives, some more powerfully than others. One such scene is where she grooves to the same steps as a player.
The director of the film Rollo Jackson aimed to capture the feeling of hope, disappointment and euphoria that Liverpool fans have experienced over the years. “Aesthetically my approach was to make a film that was understated and to let the emotion come through naturally rather than tell people what to feel,” he explained.
The film was shot in Liverpool from the Trent Alexander-Arnold mural to the roar of Anfield stadium. It features a unique rendition of LFC famous anthem, You’ll Never Walk Alone, recorded by Astraea. The song will be released on Spotify with proceeds from streaming going to Standard Chartered’s charity Futuremakers.
In more cases, the love fans have for a game (and a team) grows as they age, something that can be considered a key takeaway from this campaign. The brand can thus grow with them, weaving in and out of their lives at key touchpoints. As brand interest in sports marketing grows with an increase in the number of leagues, the story of Standard Chartered and Liverpool FC is an inspirational example to look at.
