Which ‘Road to the Final’ Would You Take?

As some of the best football teams in the world battle it out in the Quarter-Finals of the UEFA Champions League, Heineken® has unveiled the latest instalment of its ‘Road to the Final’ campaign with the launch of a new ad campaign. The ad demonstrates how, with imagination and resourcefulness, one man is able to witness club football’s most prestigious event – the Final itself. 

 

Premiering around the world today, the ad is the latest element of the brand’s global integrated ‘Road to The Final’ campaign as it celebrates its seventh consecutive year sponsoring the UEFA Champions League.  

 

 

The ad features one lucky fan, who receives a ticket to the UEFA Champions League Final.  The only problem is that he is on the other side of the world and faces a race against the clock to get to the match. Through a combination of resourcefulness, imagination and inventiveness he manages to overcome every obstacle put in his way – to be rewarded with the ultimate football experience – a pitch side seat at Wembley, arriving just before kick-off. 

 

Throughout the ‘Road to the Final’ campaign, Heineken® is encouraging fans to engage with the brand through a series of unique activities from on-pack to in-bar and social media challenges, offering once-in-a-lifetime prizes. 

 

The brand’s Facebook fans can play a pinball game inspired by elements of the advert.  Players can compete against each other – and Heineken® ambassadors including four times UEFA Champions League winner Clarence Seedorf – to earn bragging rights. For the Semi-Finals, eager fans will have the chance to engage with Seedorf through Twitter – with the most resourceful receiving prizes for their imaginative responses to the challenges set for them. 

 

As the ‘Road to The Final’ campaign reaches its climax, Heineken® will be rewarding fans for displaying inspiring and imaginative behaviour by offering tickets to the UEFA Champions League Final in Wembley and this year’s Star Final VIP viewing event, in Ibiza.  More than 250 lucky fans from around the world will have the chance to experience the combination of football and music in the world’s party and nightlife capital. 

 

Hans Erik Tuijt, Heineken’s Global Activation Director, commented on today’s announcement: “We are delighted to launch the next stage of the ‘The Road to The Final’ campaign with this new TVC.  UEFA Champions League fans who enjoy our brand are intelligent, quick witted and worldly people so we have crafted a campaign that they will enjoy being part of.  

 

We aim to inspire UEFA Champions League fans watch the advert, engage with the brand - play the digital game, Tweet Clarence Seedorf and come to Heineken® events. If they do this then they might get the chance to see the Final in a uniquely Heineken® way, whether it’s at Wembley or even Ibiza.”

 

Credits

 

HEINEKEN

Global Brand Director Cyril Chazat

Global Manager Anuraag Trikha

Communication Manager Agnieszka Gorecki 

 

 

WIEDEN+KENNEDY AMSTERDAM

Executive Creative Director Mark Bernath and Eric Quennoy

Creative Directors Mark Bernath and Eric Quennoy

Art Director Craig Williams

Copywriter Zach Watkins

Head of Production Erik Verheijen

Agency Producer Jaime Tan

Associate Post Producer Javier Perroud 

Planner Nick Docherty

Connections Planner Richard Oldfield

Group Account Director Jordi Pont

Account Director Clare Pickens

Account Manager Jorge Fesser

Art Buyer Andrew Koningen

Project Manager Jackie Barbour

Business Affairs Michael Graves

 

 

FILM PRODUCTION

 

PRODUCTION COMPANY SONNY LONDON

Director Fredrik Bond

Director of Photography Roman Vasyanov

Producer Alicia Richards

Executive Producer Helen Kenny

Bumper Director Nick Rutter

 

EDITING COMPANY MARSHALL STREET EDITING

Editor Tim Thornton-Allan

Assistant Editors Phil Hignett, Patric Ryan

 

AUDIO POST GRAND CENTRAL RECORDING STUDIOS

Sound Designer / Mixer Raja Sehgal

 

MUSIC

Title “Kalinka”

Artist Composer I. Larionov , arranged by Ben Tarrant-Brown

Music Company Mad Planet

Music Supervisor Sam Morris

 

 

POST PRODUCTION THE MILL

2D Lead Jay Bandlish

2D Artists James Pratt, Zoe Cassey-Hayes

2D Assistants Siro Valente, Douglas Haynes, Andrew Curtis

Nuke Artist Emma White

Colourists Aubrey Woodiwiss, Luke Morrison

3D Lead David Lawson

3D Artists James Mullholland, Nico Domarego, Ed Hicks, Dan Moore, Adam Darrah, Joakim Riedinger, Jacob Gonzales, Ciaran Moloney

3D Rigger Andreas Greichen

Matte Painters Nathan McKenna, Kieran Belshaw, Jiyoung Lee, Aurelien Ronceray

Production Paul Schleicher, Luis Martin 

 

 

PRINT PRODUCTION

Photographer Christian Webber