The integrated campaign for the Football Amateur Player in Germany.

1. UPGRADING
AMATEUR FOOTBALL.
DFB presents a best case practice for strengthening amateur football in Germany.
Hamburg, September 2nd 2014

2. Germany is a true ball nation. 60 Mio. alone are interested in football!
But it’s not only about watching. In fact, 80,000 official matches are played
each week, between men, women, the youth and kids across all kinds of
divisions.
The problem: Only 5% of them receive actual media attention.
Especially, the lower division with 26,000 clubs and 165,000 teams lack
support.
Most of the system relies on the intrinsic motivation of countless volunteers,
such as youth coaches, green keepers, referees and officials.
The shocking truth: 1.7 Mio. people are actually working for free!
THE SITUATION:
DFB stands for football – but only for professionals!

3. The aim is to raise awareness for the grassroots version of this game and all
those people, who actually ensure it with their hard work and dedication.
It is critical to strengthen the real basis to guarantee a prospective future.
We must to demonstrate the value, virtue and beauty of amateur football!
Our goals:
• Positive awareness for amateur football
• Stimulate engagement across all regions, associations and clubs
• Increase the usage of DFB service kits
• Ensure a foundation the future commercial value of amateur football
OUR CHALLENGE:
We want fame and honour for amateur football in Germany.

4. Therefore, we opt for a two phase-model:
OUR STRATEGY:
Not only great communication but great content as well.
1 2
CREATE A STRONG IDENTITY
We must give Amateur football a
distinctive and fascinating image –
a commercial face!
BUILD UP A STRONG
COMMUNITY
We must infuse our identity with
real meaning and effective means
for collective engagement!

5. PHASE ONE:
CREATE A STRONG IDENTITY.

6. We launched a national application & campaign platform, where amateur football
players and volunteers were invited to take part in our journey.
Our target group should become an integral part of the campaign!
So, we recruited authentic personalities, that represent amateur football with
their hearts and souls and outline the authenticity of the very true grassroots
version. We want to demonstrate the hard work, dedication and passion of all
members.
Our message: Our amateurs. Real pros.
PHASE ONE - CREATE A STRONG IDENTITY:
We give amateur football a face.

7. We have developed a fully integrated campaign with the core element in digital media!
APPLICATION
on our
campaign website
CASTING
national castings
at candidates‘ hometowns
REALIZATION
motifs for
Websites, social communities, owned publishing- and video platforms
STRONG PERSONALITITES FOR A STRONG IDENTITY.

8. OUR OUTCOME:

12. WE USED WEBSPECIALS TO PORTRAY REAL BACKGROUNDS.
Everyone takes part: Our campaign features players, officials, volunteers and minority groups

13. OUR INTERVIEWS:
Colourful people with colourful stories for a colourful sport.

14. OUR PLAN CONQUERED THE DIGITAL SPHERE.
social
media app
mobile
Info-tainment website
facebook pages

15. Unique motifs with strong headlines and authentic stories!
Our web and image movie received free media spots
on broadcasting stations.
Our images were spread throughout
the social sphere.
OUR CONTENT WENT FROM OWNED TO EARNED MEDIA.

16. Please include TVC (88sek.)
OUR IMAGE SPOT:
No dog & pony show – we emphasize the real core of football.

17. REAL SERVICES:
We provided means that went way beyond advertising.
26,000 starter kits are sent to all amateur clubs and thus brought the campaign to the base.

18. THE EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS FOR PHASE ONE:
Conversion, attention & high involvement in the digital sphere.

19. One important part of our identity-strategy was to create an
emblem for all those volunteers and football player, who are
working for free.
So, we developed badges for each association in line with the
service kits, which could be ordered on our campaign website.
They became popular among all regional associations and
local teams.
1.6 million165,22921 25,456
associations
clubs
teams
badges
BUT THE BEST NEWS IS:
We invented a symbol that expanded across the entire nation.

20. PHASE TWO:
BUILD A STRONG COMMUNITY.

21. Football is a sport for the masses, but not only in a physical but also digital way.
Based on that, we relaunched the most popular page for football match day
results in an engaging and most importantly meaningful way:
Our premise: We create a new world around the match results!
In doing so, we offer helpful services for clubs and associations, individual
profiles for teams and players, as well as recent news on a national and
regional level.
The goal: Become the focal and first point for amateur football!
PHASE TWO – BUILD A STRONG COMMUNITY:
We give amateur football a home!

22. OUR OUTCOME:

24. Old website Relaunch
OUR DESIGN IS RESPONSIVE,
OUR USABILITY STATE OF THE ART.

25. TRAINING OR TAXATION ADVICE?
WE OFFER SERVICES FOR EVERY NEED.

26. Regional news for every club
AT THE CORE OF WEBSITE:
EDITORIAL, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL CONTENT!
Individual profiles for every team Individual profiles for every player
Our heroes: Footballers, officials, volunteers and all the people who keep it going.

27. THE EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS FOR PHASE TWO:
Our new home with millions of roommates!

28. As a nonprofit association and supporter of the grassroots the DFB carries
responsibility for this project and the development of the whole sports.
Our role here: We act as the initiator, enabler & constant motivator of this
project.
In terms of execution we relied on several external ressources, such as
advertising agencies to develop the campaign and the relaunch of
FUSSBALL.de , as well as supporting partners, that laid the ground for the new
home of amateur football.
We invest in amateur football in an effective and thereby sustainable way.
Phase 1 required a budget of 2.6 million EUR for three years, which is financed by
the DFB. The relaunch of FUSSBALL.de is totally sponsored by partners and
included a budget of 6,5 million EUR.
OUR RESOURCES:
A good strategy is only as strong as its execution.

29. The strategy and positive results of this case demonstrate a number of
key-learnings for other associations.
1. Be appreciative: Umbrella organisation must not only understand the value
of lower division – they must also find ways to embrace it!
2. Be inclusive: It’s not a top-down approach, but the opposite! A good
campaign does not only talk about its protagonists – it also lets them
participate!
3. Be social: A creative-driven campaign works well, but a content-driven
campaign works better. Ensure a social aspect in your approach – especially
in the era of digital marketing.
CONCLUSION:
A best practice for lower division marketing!

30. Thank you for your attention!
We give it over to you.