Together Films worked with our friends at Dogwoof to formulate an outreach strategy for COPA 71, released in cinemas 8 March 2024, so women’s football teams across the UK could register their interest to see the film and be incentivised to book as a group. It was our collective aim for the cinema event to be a celebration of women’s football.
Strategy
Players were encouraged to sign-up to an online form in order to receive exclusive discounts, and the chance to win incredible prizes from national partners and professional clubs. To foster a sense of belonging and FOMO, the initiative was pitched as a tournament with the message: Bring your squad. Celebrate Women’s Football. Win Incredible Prizes.
We strategised targeting national organisations related to women’s football, and women in sport; alongside wider nationwide football organisations to help garner support for the campaign, and offer incentives for grassroots players.
We conducted preliminary research into the popularity of women’s football in specific regions to discover the priority cities and town. Local outreach was then focused around key venues – with all the clubs in the surrounding areas motivated to take part, from the top to the bottom of the football pyramid. Women’s Super League teams were encouraged to donate prizes to incentivise grassroots clubs, while casual football players were offered the chance to join the cinema celebrations.
SUPPORT FROM PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL CLUBS
Through pitching the campaign, via email and zoom meetings, to marketing leads and diversity and inclusivity teams; we were able to establish support from major professional clubs in the UK. Each of these global brands, donated prizes for grassroots players who would watch the film in cinemas. Clubs also took marketing materials to display at local events; encouraged staff to attend cinema screenings as a group and Manchester City FC bought-out a public screenings for their staff and supporters club.
Prizes from clubs included: premium matchday experience at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge; tickets for whole squads to watch Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace; a signed shirt from the Manchester City team; plus more.
SUPPORT FROM national organisations
Together Films also secured national commercial and impact partners who donated prizes or discounts to the Bring Your Squad campaign; and also supported with marketing ahead of the cinema release. Working alongside Dogwoof, key cinema partner, Picturehouse Cinemas, offered a free popcorn to anyone wearing their team’s jerseys over the opening weekend, 8-11 March. As a marquee prize, Picturehouse agreed to sponsor a grassroots team’s jersey, with the kit designed by FOUDYS, a UK brand specialising in women’s football merchandise. FOUDYS presented custom-made replica England jerseys to The Lost Lionesses on stage at the UK gala screening; and they also offered additional merchandise to winning teams.
National Football Museum, IDA Sports (manufacturer of women’s football boots), and Footy Addicts offered a discount to players who registered their interest and supported with newsletters and digital marketing. We also garnered support from national non-profits including Women In Football, Women In Sport and the Women’s Sport Trust who added our campaign to their communications.
OUTREACH ACTIVATION
Together Films identified 699 grassroots contacts at women’s football clubs in the priority cities and towns for the release.
4 weeks out from the release date, on International Women’s Day, we activated the Bring Your Squad campaign with the 699 contacts receiving an invitation to register their interest by signing up to an online form. The contacts received regular emails leading up to the release, each highlighting a different incentive from our partners. The email outreach campaign was supplemented with social media from Together Films, Dogwoof and our outreach partners to encourage inbound sign-ups.
a celebration of women's football
354 representatives from grassroots clubs signed up to the Bring Your Squad initiative and received regular newsletters ahead of the release with details on how to book tickets and win prizes.
Women’s players, at all levels across the the UK, joined in the COPA 71 celebration of women’s football with teams attending in groups and wearing their colours.
