FIFA 23 x Ted Lasso
Award: Yellow Pencil
Yellow Pencil / Gaming & Virtual Worlds / Brand Integration / 2023
Award: Wood Pencil
Wood Pencil / PR / Entertainment
Award: Wood Pencil
Wood Pencil / Gaming & Virtual Worlds / Brand Partnership
AFC Richmond and its coach, Ted Lasso, became the first ever completely fictional team to be real playable characters in the world’s most popular sports video game, FIFA 23. The project was an equal partnership between two entertainment giants. The reach of FIFA 23 exposed more people to Ted Lasso, while people's love of Ted Lasso brought more people to FIFA 23 in return. It created billions of earned impressions across social and digital media, and allowed Ted Lasso fans to interact with their favourite characters in an authentic way that could only be delivered by EA and FIFA.
What did the judges have to say?
Ted Lasso punked FIFA23 by launching a fake team (AFC Richmond) in the serious league of FIFA. The partnership between Ted Lasso and FIFA23 saw AFC Richmond players show the skill level of pros, and their signature moves, celebrations and actions from the TV show were carried over into FIFA23. The result was a double whammy of pulling Ted Lasso fans to FIFA23 as well as getting FIFA fans hooked on the Ted Lasso show. It really shows the power of gaming when brands fully embrace and properly invest to unlock its potential.
Malcolm Poynton, Global CCO, Cheil Worldwide
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