How Football Club Real Betis Made a Pregnancy Test to Connect with Fans
VMLY&R Spain first started working with Spanish football club Real Betis Balompié earlier this year. Almost immediately, one of the pillars of the club’s communications shone through: the pride that came with being a beloved team, not only among their own fans, but also among wider supporters of the game.
“As they usually say, Betis is the first team of many, and the second team of all,” remarks Paulo Areas, chief creative officer at VMLY&R Spain. It was this sense of love and belonging that Betis wanted to channel through the campaign for the club’s 116th anniversary, which would ultimately forge a stronger relationship with fans all over the country, not only based on Betis’ achievements on the field, but its personality and mindset too.
So, VMLY&R had a question before them: “How can we make the love for Betis grow even further, and not with fans only, but with everyone?” Enter ‘Test Bético’, the first ever pregnancy test that displays the result in green and white, the club’s colours, and cementing a new generation of love and belonging that comes with being a Betis supporter.
‘From parents to children, from grandparents to grandchildren’, the quote by journalist Manuel Ramírez Fernández etched onto the stands of the Benito Villamarín Stadium, was the spine of the campaign. ‘Test Bético’ “seeks to champion the profound pride and connectedness to the club,” says Paulo. “Drawing parallels between the establishment of the club and the birth of a child, both marked by significant emotional resonance, we harnessed creativity as the driving force to connect with Betis fans.”
LBB’s Zoe Antonov spoke to Paulo about casting only Betis supporters across the production chain, developing the pregnancy test with the help of universities and why an innovative approach was needed for the club’s birthday.
LBB> Tell me about the significance of the tagline 'Life in Green' and what role it played in creative development!
Paulo> Explaining the essence of 'Life in Green' is a task made simple by its very nature - an intangible, profound sentiment that defies easy articulation. Being a devotee of Betis is not a bestowed gift; rather, it's a visceral connection carried since birth, akin to a limb or one's beating heart.
Our collaboration with Real Betis from the onset of this year aimed not just to showcase this tagline but to breathe life into it as a genuine sense of belonging. Our journey began with conceptualising the 2023 Real Betis Balompié season ticket holder campaign - a video encapsulating the pride and attachment ingrained in Real Betis fans from infancy.
Drawing inspiration from the iconic words of journalist Manuel Ramírez Fernández de Córdoba that are etched onto the stands of the Benito Villamarín Stadium — ‘From parents to children, from grandparents to grandchildren. A passion called Betis.’— this campaign seeks to champion the profound pride and connectedness to the club. Titled ‘El Mejor Momento es Siempre’ (“The Best Moment is Always”), the green and white entity extends its message to new generations through the voice of one of its most seasoned members, Luis Puertos Barrios.
Having triumphed in our initial campaign, we sought to elevate our efforts further by manifesting the sense of belonging for all fans. Enter the ‘Test Bético’ campaign - an initiative designed to actualise the profound connection that unites all Betis enthusiasts.
LBB> The campaign marked 116 years since the birth of the club. Why was it important to celebrate Betis' birthday in this memorable way?
Paulo> Our aim was to honour the enduring passion that has bound fans from one generation to the next since the club's founding. By doing so, we envisioned celebrating the arrival of new Betis enthusiasts with the vibrant colours that epitomise this profound devotion.
This led to the innovative concept of introducing the first pregnancy test that displays results in the iconic green and white. Our intention was to ensure that the inaugural colours symbolising the birth of a new Bético into the world are none other than the emblematic hues of our beloved club.
LBB> And speaking of memorable, this is a pioneering way to communicate with football fans. Was it important for you to take a new, untapped approach and why did you believe Betis fans would be open to such an approach?
Paulo> At VMLY&R Spain, our mission is to craft interconnected brands – those that not only embody a distinct positioning and identity but also forge meaningful connections with customers on various levels. In developing our ideas, we delved into the significance of pivotal moments in the lives of fans, aiming to establish connections through these key experiences. By stepping into the shoes of our audience, we gain a profound understanding of what truly matters to them and how our brand resonates with these significant moments.
Our approach involves not only the creation of compelling campaigns but also the development of products that genuinely cater to their needs. We strive to engage with our audience by addressing topics that are close to their hearts and essential to their lives. In the case of this campaign, we seamlessly merged the passion for Betis and football with one of life's most extraordinary moments: the birth of a child.
The ‘Test Bético’ serves not only as an announcement of a new arrival but also as a celebration of the pride and sense of belonging that accompanies Betis fans from birth. This campaign authentically connects with people on various levels, establishing a bridge that extends beyond creative endeavours to resonate with the core values and experiences shared by our audience.
LBB> And while we’re on the fans, was there particular research that informed the way you approached the campaign?
Paulo> Not officially – at least not on the emotional engagement level. Most of us are passionate football fans in the agency as well, and the insight was bordering the obvious. So we built the idea and the reinforcement we needed came during the process. As we were sharing thoughts and brainstorming with different people within and outside our industry, the overall reaction was always: ‘of course’.
Production-wise, we did some research on ways of producing the test, talking to several labs and universities, understanding the process of production and the boundaries we could not cross - it being a health product. It took us a few months, but we found ways of achieving the results we were aiming for.
LBB> When it came to creating the film, did you cast real Betis fans? How did that casting process go?
Paulo> We cast Betis fans for the film, the product launch, for the voice over, as influencers, and even to direct the film. But what I can say proudly is that even the ones on the process that were not Betis supporters got their hearts a little greener in the process. Me included.
LBB> Did you collaborate with a pharmaceutical company to create the tests themselves or did you make them independently? How did that go?
Paulo> After evaluating the idea of collaborating with a pharmaceutical company to produce the test, we decided to make them independently to fully own the process and connect directly with the fans. It wasn’t easy and there was lots of back and forth, but it was also really fun. We did the whole design conceptualisation together with Hogarth and some universities, and we ideated a way to deliver those tests to the Real Betis fans through an online platform that serves as the nexus between the club and its supporters, providing a unique and engaging experience for those eagerly anticipating the arrival of a new family member.
The decision to utilise a dedicated website offers several advantages in fostering a deeper connection with the fan base. Through this approach, the campaign aspires to leave an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of fans, fostering a lifelong relationship with Betis supporters.
LBB> And how have fans reacted to them so far – have you seen many of them use the tests?
Paulo> The response from fans was overwhelmingly positive and passionate. In the initial week of the campaign's launch, the first batch of tests flew off, and social media platforms buzzed with fans enthusiastically sharing the campaign and expressing their love for the concept. Notably, the campaign caught the attention of key broadcast and online media outlets in Spain, garnering coverage that further fueled its popularity.
As an amusing anecdote, on the week of the launch, ‘Test Bético’ secured the position of the second most searched term on Google - only trailing behind ‘Taylor Swift’. This surge in online searches reflected the intense interest and eagerness of people actively seeking information on how to obtain their own ‘Test Bético’.
LBB> What was the most challenging part of the project? And equally, what was the most fun?
Paulo> The most challenging was to find ways of producing the test. Health legal limitations made us look for the right partner in several countries, trying to find ways of producing prototypes fast, but with all the legal requirements. But the time it took was also the best part of the process, as it allowed us to be closer to the team, constantly visiting Benito Villamarin and watching great Betis games over the last months. Not bad. I wish every creative process was like that.
