Dream Transfer
eBay
Issue 62 | March 2022
Agency
McCann London
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officers Laurence Thomson, Rob Doubal Executive Creative Directors Ray Shaughnessy, Dan Norris Creative Directors Matt Searle, Olly Wood Creative Team Connor Wynn, Jack Stoten
Production Team
Head of Design Lisa Carrana Design Director Andy McGuigan Head of Integrated Production Sophie Chapman-Andrews Project Director Clare Prager Project Manager Neil Tingey
Other Credits
Global Business Lead Sailesh Jani Business Director Tom Oliver Account Director Conor Lloyd Account Manager Katie Dumbrell Account Associate Sasha Semple Chief Strategy Officer Theo Izzard-Brown Strategy Director Harrison Steinhart Senior Planner Jonathan Bender Client Chief Marketing Officer Eve Williams Head of Brand Marketing Alex Allcott Head of Partnerships Faisal Alani Head of Consumer PR Menreet Kaur Heads of Marketing Operations Ed Maule, Kirsten Freeman Social Media and Content Manager Jack Francis PR Manager Annie Shields Onsite Senior Account Manager Isabell Proschak Marketing Executive Eva Lamerton eBay for Charity Lead Melissa Selwood eBay for Charity Intern Amelia Buttery
Date
January 2022
Background
In recent times the ‘Beautiful Game’ has become ugly. The transfer market, the biggest cultural commerce event in the world, has seen fees spiral into the stratosphere. eBay, founded as a democratic people’s market built around inclusivity and community, saw an opportunity to support the lower echelons of football with bags of eBay personality to bring back the joy.
Idea
eBay is renowned for being a place where surprising value is found every day.
Working with media partners including Sky Sports and grass-roots youth charity Football Beyond Borders, the campaign democratised the January Transfer Window, offering up World Cup winner and former Real Madrid Galactico Roberto Carlos and ex-Juventus and Chelsea women’s star Eni Aluko on one-game contracts. Utilising the power of the eBay marketplace for good, the two legendary players were listed for any Sunday League team to win.
Participants simply placed a 5 bid with all proceeds being donated to social inclusion charity Football Beyond Borders.
Teaser films, paid-for and organic online social, TVC, onsite takeovers, all built towards ‘Match Day’ films once winners were announced.
Influencers including Sky Sport’s Kelly Cates, Chris Kamara and transfer gossip icon Fabrizio Romano featured throughout the campaign, creating synergy with the real Transfer Market.
Results
The goal was to change the way people up and down the country (but also football fans) thought about eBay.
Total PR coverage exceeded target by 384%. Media interviews were 110% above target. Reports in Sports and football outlets were 350% up on target.
Our Thoughts
How many sports fans have dreamt of winning the lottery and buying a superstar player for their league team? Thousands.
Tens of thousands. And now eBay has made the dream possible for two lucky winners.
When the transfer window closed, Bull in the Barne United had won Roberto Carlos who is off to play for them in Shrewsbury.
Meanwhile, Sussex club Pevensey & Westham FC had picked up Eni Aluko. A ridiculously simple idea has raised a lot of money for charity and added more than a little brightness to eBay’s brand reputation.