In a couple of weeks, on 10 May, the Ice Hockey World Championship will start, which this year will take place in Prague and Ostrava. The official partners of the championship or the national team have prepared advertising campaigns, and those associated with the championship can also take advantage of the possibility of activation directly at the stadiums.
Škoda Auto, which has been associated with the ice hockey championship since 1992, is planning a range of activities from above-the-line communication, activations to social networks and gamification. "I won't reveal anything specific yet, so I will at least hint that our home ride through the championship will be representative, exciting and fabulous, and our team will therefore not be missing any rabbits from the hat, an outstanding hockey forward or a charismatic hockey commentator," says Libor Šedivák, head of marketing at Škoda Auto's Czech dealership, when asked by MediaGuru. During the fanzone, the carmaker will offer experiences, activities and introduce new cars.
The Pilsner Urquell beer brand, which has been the main partner of the Czech national hockey team for 12 years and is also the official partner of the championship this year, will offer hockey fans competitions for tickets. "We want to offer fans not only a great experience in the fan zones, but also to allow them to experience the matches directly at the stadium. During April, they will have several opportunities to compete for tickets," says Kristýna Tereková, marketing manager at Pilsner Urquell. The competition is running in selected shops and restaurants across the country, while they can also be won on Radio Europe 2.
The fan zones in Prague and Ostrava will have Pilsner beer on tap from the Master Bartender competition finalists, and you can play pub quiz or try out the air jockey tap school, stigma hockey, goal shooting or watch the games. "Entrance to the fan zones is also available free of charge to those who have not bought tickets to the games," Tereková said, adding that the brand will also communicate the partnership on TV, either through commercial spots on Nova from the beginning of May or sponsor messages during the games.
Tipsport, which has been a partner of the World Hockey Championship since last year, recently launched its first influencer-based campaign. Its central figure is the Czech hockey player David Pastrňák, who posted a photo on his social networks wearing a jacket by designer Martin kafes33 Hirth. It has two sides: one in Tipsport colours, the other in the national colours for cheering during the World Cup. The so-called Pasta jacket is presented by nine other influencers on their accounts, but it will also be worn by other faces of Tipsport such as David Dvořák, Park Kincl, Michal Krčmář and others. The communication, which will also run on TV, online, outdoor, in the press and in branches, is based on the basic line "Be ready - be prepared for the World Cup - because with Tipsport you will experience the most" and works with the claim: "Just start". "At the beginning of May, the campaign will also refer clients to a betting competition with prizes worth CZK 7 million and to the Fantasy to the Championship with prizes worth CZK 5 million, including the top prize of a BMW 4. The total value of all prizes is CZK 33 million," says Martin Filip, head of the brand department.
Tipsport will bring branded trucks at the venue with fun hockey activities and the opportunity to bet on the matches. The fanzones will also regularly feature influencers who have joined the campaign.
Tesco is communicating its connection to the World Cup with a campaign featuring the slogan "We Live Hockey". "In the campaign we are linking a passion for hockey with shopping at Tesco. We offer customers a unique opportunity to become part of the great hockey adventure through the Clubcard," explains Zuzana Grinčová, Marketing Director for Tesco Czech Republic. The campaign will also involve well-known influencers, including Bořek Joura, Matěj Ruppert, Petr Švancara, Jakub Štáfek, Martin Dejdar and Petr Leitgeb. In the hockey arenas, the chain will work with a logo, a spot and an outdoor campaign around the arenas.
Coca-Cola will communicate its partnership with the championship with an advertising campaign that will run on TV, outdoor, online and at the point of sale. "In terms of OOH communications, this is the biggest hockey campaign in the history of the Coca-Cola brand in the country. We worked with Ondrej Pavelec and national team players Lukas Sedlak and Filip Chlapik on the key visual in the Czech Republic. Oliver Okuliar became the face of the campaign in Slovakia," says Kateřina Třísková, brand manager of Coca-Cola ČR. The TV spot was produced locally by Guerilla. Strong digital support, including fan activation on the brand's mobile app, and point-of-sale and e-commerce communication in cooperation with Rohlík and Košík, is also in the pipeline. "Along with these activities, we are also launching a national consumer competition in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, in which hockey enthusiasts can win four tickets to games, hockey merch or entry to the VIP zone for the final game each day," adds Třísková.
In Prague and Ostrava, a six-metre long fan zone with digital content created in real time, including a 3D banner, will be prepared for fans. "In the near future, we will also introduce a CSR project with the involvement of very interesting ambassadors, which is part of the hockey campaign and which we are working on with the PR agency FleishmanHillard," Třísková announces.
Raiffeisenbank is also an official sponsor of the championship, and in the campaign it becomes "aproud partner of the World Champions in cheering". In March, it offered its customers a competition for tickets with an investment app, and in April and May, new and existing clients, as well as the general public, can play for tickets and other fan items. They can also win their own hockey card or Championship discounts at RB Club. Items such as a hockey scarf, jersey or badge in the special design of the Raiffandíme collection will also be available in fanzones and selected cities. "As a bank, we want to stick together with our clients as a team, whether they are die-hard ice hockey fans or just enjoy the atmosphere of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship 2024. It will be fun for everyone, hockey is popular in the Czech Republic and we want to be with as many of our clients as possible when cheering," says Markéta Křížková, marketing communications expert at Raiffeisenbank.
Komerční banka, which supports the national team from 2021 and therefore cannot present itself at the venue of the championship, has created a hockey campaign with Cameron Hughes, who focuses on working with sports fans. "Komerční banka has long supported Czech hockey. The world of banking has a lot in common with this sport. In both cases it is about fair play, teamwork, but also passion and enthusiasm for the cause. That's why when we were looking for the face of our campaign last year, Cameron Hughes was the obvious choice. It's amazing how passionate he can be about getting the whole stadium cheering together on the road to victory. We also appreciate Cameron's reach beyond the world of sport, as his positive energy can be transferred into everyday life and support the determination of those around him," says Hana Kovářová, Executive Director for Brand Strategy and Communications at Komerční banka. The campaign can be seen on TV, outdoor and in other media. The outdoor campaign uses 3D digital billboards for the first time ever. They are installed at O2 Universum and above the entrance to OC Harfa in Prague. Twenty-second 3D advertising spots of KB with a hockey theme can be seen from 18 April from 6:00 to 22:00.
Generali Česká pojišt'ovna is also a partner of the national team and is preparing competitions for its customers and employees. The company will also remind its support for hockey on TV on ČT Sport with two sponsorship messages, which will be broadcast at the regular group matches and during the play-offs. It will also communicate on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok. Content will include not only prize competitions, but also exclusive behind-the-scenes content from the national hockey team, hockey trivia, the Happy Puck app and pictorial reports from the sidelines.
Kaufland, which has been a partner of the national hockey team since 2019, is preparing a mini-show for the hockey championship in cooperation with Czech Television and the Ice Hockey Association, which will reflect the values of the "School of Hockey Talents" project - versatility, comprehensive development and fair play. "It is a programme that is both funny and educational. Prominent Czech directors are involved in its production. Unfortunately, we cannot provide more information yet," says spokeswoman Renata Maierl. Kaufland is also focusing on communicating its "Pucks help" project, in which it distributed CZK 10 million to regional clubs last autumn. For this reason too, it will focus on supporting youth and youth hockey in its 360° campaign.
Hockey will fill the advertising space in the coming weeks. The hockey theme will be seen not only on TV, on the internet, but also at the point of sale, and not only with the aforementioned partners. This will be reflected, for example, in the Aelia duty free shops at the airports in Prague and Ostrava. "There will be an expanded range across most categories. We are preparing limited editions of products from popular Czech brands Pilsner Urquel or Bohemia Chips," adds Zuzana Šimáková, the company's marketing manager, adding that there is also a competition for exclusive packages.
Source: mediaguru.cz
