Now, real-life Stevenage have sold out all their club shirts, are the most played FIFA 20 team on live streaming platform Twitch, and are known around the world. Stevenage FC became the most used club in FIFA 20 Career Mode thanks to a genius marketing campaign. Stevenage FC, the biggest online club on earth. The latest rumours and stories from around the world of football. Quiero mis 9 nuggets @BurguerkingGame #stevenagechallenge #SVG3 pic.twitter.com/Cje43vHsML, @BurgerKingBR #StevenageChallenge gol de bike pic.twitter.com/Iwu0hgowDN. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. It may have seemed odd at the time for a multinational marketer to be interested in … "What went viral this week and at the end of last year was a big success for us but I think that there's so much more possibility to do even more than that.". The idea was to encourage gamers to play as Stevenage in FIFA, wearing one of two Burger King-sponsored kits, and to complete challenges in the … When the game was released in 2019, Burger King launched the challenge around the world, encouraging players to submit videos of, for example, scoring from 30 … Read about our approach to external linking. They partnered with the creatives at DAVID The Agency and came up with ways of drawing attention to the Hertfordshire side, who draw around 2,700 fans to their Lamex Stadium. FIFA 20 - Stevenage's Burger King shirt FIFA players are probably familiar with Stevenage by now, a team almost no one knew anything about until they saw its unusual popularity in online modes. The Stevenage x Burger King … IN the summer of 2019, Burger King made the astonishing move to sponsor lowly League Two club Stevenage FC. Ahora, aprovecha ese acuerdo para dar un paso más en su intención de hacerse un hueco en los esports , donde también es patrocinador de x6tence , uno de los clubes más famosos de España. Burger King had an equally quirky sponsorship deal with Spanish La Liga side Getafe a decade ago - and spoke to a few clubs before settling on Stevenage - but why were the fourth-tier strugglers the chosen ones? The fast-food giants cleverly tapped into the FIFA 20 world, offering free Whoppers and chips in return for gamers completing in-game challenges, while playing as the The Boro. But what was behind the partnership which led to a mustard and ketchup inspired away kit and social media figures bigger than "even a fourth round FA Cup tie at Manchester United would've got"? Check out the great selection of films streaming now on BBC iPlayer, Stream the coverage of MMA Bellator 255 live and exclusive on BBC iPlayer, Stevenage are building a reputation for doing things differently - they no longer produce a physical matchday programme, instead offering a digital version, and last year sold shares through a sports investment company. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, Stevenage FC have become one of the most well marketed teams in the world, Burger King began sponsoring Stevenage in 2019, The fast food chain used FIFA 20 to promote awareness of the club, Gamers could unlock special meal deals by sharing completed challenges on Twitter, For the first time in Stevenage's history they sold out their shirts, Boris Johnson reveals new restrictions on sporting events, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). So when Burger King approached them for shirt sponsorship and an online campaign incorporating the Fifa game, things seemed to fit. The fast-food giants cleverly tapped into the FIFA 20 world, offering free Whoppers and chips in return for gamers completing in-game challenges, while playing as the The Boro. As an IP lawyer fascinated by the interaction between sports, esports and gaming, it is no surprise that the story of Burger King’s Stevenage FC campaign caught my eye. As a result, Stevenage FC ultimately built up a cult following in the gaming world and Burger King's logo was being seen by millions on the weekly basis. Tiger Woods undergoes surgery as golf legend set for spell on sidelines. Farmers Insurance Open 2021: Tee times, TV channel, live stream, prize money. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. But Burger King realized that they didn’t need to do that. "We were quite keen to rip things up and try a new way of doing things," Stevenage chief executive Alex Tunbridge told BBC Sport. Golf. For the first time in the club's history, they sold out all of their shirts - priced at £42.99 a pop. co-founded by ex-Juventus and Chelsea striker Gianluca Vialli. Now, real-life Stevenage have sold out all their club shirts, are the most played FIFA 20 team on live streaming platform Twitch, and are known … We had something like 1.2 billion impressions on the campaign," Tunbridge said. Burger King sponsors Stevenage FC, beginning their sponsorship of the fourth-tier team at the beginning of the 2019/20 season. When Burger King paid Stevenage a reported £50,000 to sponsor the club, they knew exactly what they were doing. "The value of being in that game is phenomenal - it's probably a value that a lot of clubs and brands haven't realised.". Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester United, Stevenage. A plan was hatched to use FIFA 20, where virtual Stevenage players could unlock special Burger King deals by completing challenges and uploading the video to Twitter. "It actually shows the digital space is now worth more than what you have in real life. How to get into football - the most popular sport in the world, with clubs and facilities throughout the UK. "This gave us the chance to have a global platform. "We always thought that we could do something powerful by putting together the world of gaming and real sports - almost bridging the digital and analogical worlds with an idea," Machado said. Stevenage FC, Burger King, Lionel Messi and FIFA 20 - a Whopper of a deal! "But even then I don't even think a fourth round tie at Manchester United would've got the engagement we've received. And it launched little Stevenage FC into the stratosphere. In the run-up to the sequel, FIFA 21, Stevenage and Burger King have advertised their sponsorship with gameplay clips from the FIFA series in which virtual depictions of world-famous players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo wear the Stevenage strip with the Burger King logo. They then offered rewards for gamers to play as Stevenage, score goals, and share on Twitter. That’s when Burger King decided to step in and buy the front of jersey sponsorship space of a club few outside of England know to exist. Match of the Day host Gary Linekerexternal-link and Rugby World Cup-winner Bryan Habanaexternal-link are among the sporting names to have praised the campaign. Challenges included 'A Nutmeg for Nuggets' and 'Impossible for Impossible Whopper', as the gamers (wearing official Stevenage jerseys) happily shared their clips online in return for food and free delivery. The context of the video game is obvious, and most viewers will understand the footballers in … Thanks to FIFA, Stevenage FC bagged themselves a heavyweight sponsor in American Fast-Food Brand, Burger King, There were benefits for both sides - Stevenage gained notoriety and secured a nice monetary deal, whilst Burger King used them as a marketing campaign via EA's FIFA Career Mode. In October 2019 the 'Stevenage Challenge' was launched, encouraging people to play as Stevenage on Fifa and upload their goals to social media to win food prizes. View our online Press Pack. And no it isn’t McDonalds or KFC that has produced this marketing master stroke, it’s Burger King that has become the talk of the town. But, before then, you have to wonder what they have up their sleeves for this year. The marketing ploy kicked off in June 2019 when Burger King decided to become the jersey sponsor for football club Stevenage. In June, Burger King announced it was sponsoring Stevenage Football Club, a soccer team in England's League Two—which is the fourth division of English footall (after the Premier League, the Championship and League One). So when Burger King approached them for shirt sponsorship and an online campaign incorporating the Fifa game, things seemed to fit. For the 19/20 football season they sponsored Stevenage F.C. By offering free food such as the company’s trademark Whoppers in return for gamers completing in-game challenges, while playing as as Stevenage - the club received a huge spike in interest from fans and gamers around the world. "They are an edgy brand in terms of marketing, which is why we thought it'd work quite well.". The idea was to encourage gamers to play as Stevenage in FIFA, … Incredibly, over 25,000 goals were shared by gamers online, while the campaign lasted for a week last October. Some play FIFA Ultimate Team. Odegaard starts for Gunners, Phillips and Kabak for Reds in huge clash, Mendy and Jesus goals give Guardiola's side 17-POINT lead in table, Haaland agent BANNED from meeting Chelsea as Guardiola rants over rumours, Pulisic shows his goalscoring instincts but Jorginho has a horror show, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. "Turn a small team in the real world into the biggest team online" was the strapline and the campaign playfully made use of Stevenage's one star rating on the FIFA game. IN the summer of 2019, Burger King made the astonishing move to sponsor lowly League Two club Stevenage FC. The 'Stevenage Challenge' targets FIFA 20 players with offers of free food. The allure of being on such an illustrious game - and the opportunities that brings - for the price of a League Two shirt sponsorship fee was central. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. Stevenage FC CEO Alex Tunbridge stated “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Burger King on the Stevenage Challenge which is an innovative concept that aims to turn the Club into the biggest online team through the power of video gaming and social media." Earlier this year, Burger King announced it was sponsoring Stevenage, a … Burger King praised for genius 'Stevenage Challenge' marketing campaign Burger King called it the Stevenage Challenge Fast food chain Burger King were praised on Wednesday for an ingenious marketing campaign which saw League 2 side Stevenage become FIFA 20 Career Mode's most used team as a result of their sponsorship of the club. Fernando Machado is global chief marketing officer at Restaurant Brands International, which owns the burger restaurant brand, and was behind the campaign. "We are always searching for ideas that will make the sponsorship bigger than just putting money behind a logo on a jersey.". all to get their logo in FIFA 20. are among the sporting names to have praised the campaign. “Turn a small team in the real world into the biggest team online” was the strapline and the campaign playfully made use of Stevenage’s one star rating on the FIFA game. Over the last year gamers around the world have flocked to play with League Two side Stevenage on the popular football game Fifa - all because of the club's sponsorship deal with a global fast food outlet. Donald Trump handed Open Championship snub as Turnberry resort overlooked. Football news: Burger King and Stevenage, FIFA career mode, reaction. Now if you haven’t heard of Stevenage before, don’t worry you’re not alone. We all enjoy our casual FIFA sessions. The Amex outfit's canny marketing team tapped into FIFA 20 through their link-up with Burger King. Burger King se convirtió en el patrocinador del Stevenage, de la EFL League Two, hace apenas unos meses, de cara a la presente temporada 2019/20. "This gave us the chance to have a global platform. Marcelo Pascoa, their global head of grand marketing, revealed the group were passionate "not only for the big teams, but also for the smaller ones that are poised for something big". Last week, fast-food chain Burger King was praised for their ingenious marketing campaign. With average crowds of less than 3,000 and the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham and Watford nearby, attracting new fans is difficult. Burger King began sponsoring Stevenage in 2019 Credit: Rex Features. Others play … You have to admire Burger King's creativity. Burger King's decision to become the front-of-shirt sponsor for League Two side Stevenage in 2018 has paid off after their bold plan to go virtually viral succeeded beyond all expectations. In October 2019, Burger King launched the ‘Stevenage Challenge’, a FIFA video campaign, which encouraged football fans across the globe to play as Stevenage on the EA Sports video game and post their goals on social media in exchange for tasty treats. You may think that these players all play for different teams, but when Burger King became the front-of-shirt sponsor for League Two side Stevenage in 2018 it… Stevenage recently sold out their jerseys for the first time in history Burger King made a whopper of a move by sponsoring perennial League Two cellar-dweller Stevenage. In 2019, it sponsored an obscure soccer club called Stevenage, tying the deal into a series of virtual challenges players could complete in FIFA 2020 in order to win free food. So when Burger King approached them for shirt sponsorship and an online campaign incorporating the Fifa game, things seemed to fit. Analysis and opinion from our chief football writer. "It's one of the reasons why we went with a relatively small club rather than a big club.". In October 2019 the ‘Stevenage Challenge’ was launched, encouraging people to play as Stevenage on Fifa … Tunbridge says Stevenage received "quite a lot of backlash" when the sponsorship deal was announced but "felt there was a balance" to the partnership with a fast food brand as the club "promote being fit and active". Burger King's deal with Stevenage is set to expire at the end of this season. Burger King has ramped up video game integrations in recent years. "If you're a crazy soccer fan that loves playing Fifa, it doesn't bother you to play with Stevenage, even if you're not a Stevenage fan, because we all cheer for the underdog and it's an underdog club," he told BBC Sport. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Burger King’s sponsorship of Stevenage FC is a partnership that complements the brand’s personality and comms, because it takes the opportunity to support a little guy who could do with a boost. That turned out to be just one part of Burger King's marketing strategy. Last updated on 29 September 202029 September 2020.From the section Stevenage. Within one year, by utilising a video game, they've helped make the club one of the most marketable teams in football. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. During the campaign, lasting just over two weeks, Stevenage were the most-played with team on the game's career mode and more than 25,000 goals in the club's kit were shared online. At the time of publishing, Stevenage is currently in last place in League 2 of the English Football League, making them the most ‘underdog’ team in UK professional football. How Burger King Is Using FIFA 20 to Make a Tiny English Team a Big Deal. They became the most used team in Career Mode and on Twitch, with players adding the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mo Salah to their virtual club. The upshot from such a stroke of marketing genius is that humble Stevenage have now sold out all their club shirts at £42.99 a pop, are the most played FIFA 20 team on live streaming platform Twitch, and are known around the globe! For other inquiries, Contact Us. Get latest scores and headlines sent straight to your phone, sign-up to our newsletter and learn where to find us on online. "It's PR that you couldn't buy as a League Two club, unless you reach the third or fourth round of the FA Cup. But, here's the clincher, and one which drew a windfall for Stevenage. Is there more to come from this unlikely partnership? The genius piece of … At first glance, it seems bizarre for a global brand like Burger King to support a club like Stevenage; however, the King had another plan. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Brands pay millions to get soccer’s biggest players to endorse them. With free grub on offer, it's no surprise the global campaign that was launched across the USA, China, Mexico, Brazil, UK, France, Germany, Russia, Sweden and Spain was a big success. Outside the game, Burger King uses FIFA footage to explain its sponsorship of Stevenage. Stevenage has become a real phenomenon among fans of the FIFA 20 'career mode'.And it all started with a campaign by Burger King, the sponsor of this humble League Two side.. During the season, the fast-food giant launched a social media challenge for users to choose this English Fourth Division team and share every goal they score with them on Twitter. Stevenage are building a reputation for doing things differently - they no longer produce a physical matchday programme, instead offering a digital version, and last year sold shares through a sports investment company co-founded by ex-Juventus and Chelsea striker Gianluca Vialli. ‘The Stevenage Challenge’ saw League 2 side Stevenage become FIFA 20 Career Mode’s most used team. Burger King has a brilliant marketing campaign which puts its logo on the shirt worn by football stars such as Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Mohamed Salah and Kylian Mbappé.