The UEFA Euro 2024 tournament took the UAE, and the world, by storm. However, for those not fortunate enough to attend the games in Germany, settling for a fan zone experience in Dubai was the next best alternative.
Hisense provided fans with this opportunity as the gold sponsor for the Euros this year. As part of its sponsorship, the Chinese electronics brand launched an integrated campaign titled ‘Beyond Glory’. Part of the campaign’s activations was an on-ground Hisense Fan Zone at the Arabian Ranches Golf Club in Dubai.
When asked about the purpose behind such a premium viewing experience, Fazalur Rahman, Regional Marketing Director, Hisense MEA, explained, “This approach fosters positive brand associations that go beyond a single event, and it builds lasting customer relationships.”
He added that, beyond displaying the matches on Hisense screens, the brand wanted to give people an experience “worth remembering”. The team at Hisense spent months strategising how best to immerse the consumers of the UAE into the brand.
“Our strategy aimed to capitalise on the excitement generated during events,” he said.
“We took a meticulous approach, carefully considering the target audience, the specific event theme, and the desired brand experiences we wanted to create.”
The Hisense team wanted to welcome the families in Dubai who would skip out on a pub game-night and watch the match at home instead.
“That’s why we partnered with the Arabian Ranches Golf Club to create a welcoming space that caters to all ages,” Rahman said. “Showcasing our products in this way provided people with the opportunity to experience Hisense technology first-hand.”
“This approach not only enhanced brand loyalty but also positioned Hisense as the go-to choice for top-quality viewing and entertainment,” Rahman added.
Campaign Middle East witnessed emotions rising in front of Hisense television screens while fans enjoyed
the comfort of the brand’s air conditioning units, shielding them from the Dubai heat. We also spoke
to several people experiencing the on-ground activation.
The reactions we received, however, were mixed.
Alexander Franke, chief financial officer at K&S, was at the Fan Zone watching the Germany vs. Spain quarterfinals with friends and family. Franke didn’t notice the Hisense branding on any of the main entrances to the Fan Zone, and the massive Hisense logo above the screen was lost on him.
“I was too focused on everything happening underneath the branding on the game. If it wasn’t pointed out to me, I wouldn’t have seen it at all,” he said.
On the other hand, Hyno Jose, an ADNOC employee, said he was well-aware of the Hisense experience. After sharing his take on “the brilliant atmosphere”, Jose’s first question was, “How much do you think one of these
TVs cost?”
Other sentiments were varied. Kheireddine Sifaddi, a project management specialist from Canada, didn’t know of the brand previously and wondered what the company was when he saw the branding placed at the
Fan Zone.
He was impressed with the quality of not just the screens playing the match, but also the outdoor air-conditioning units. “It’s so cold in here, which is hard to believe at this time of the year. I would look for this product in stores when I go to buy a cooling unit for my garden,” he said.
Hisense also captured visitor feedback from the Fan Zone using advanced technology, the brand confirmed.
“To make sure that visitors are satisfied with their experience, Hisense continuously monitored and responded to feedback,” Rahman said. ““We used social media listening tools and online review platforms to track visitor sentiment and comments. Based on these insights, we took immediate actions to address any issues and enhance the visitor experience.”
Did this brand-building exercise result in a measurable impact? After all, on-ground activations are not just about offering potential customers a good time. With a high investment, the pay-off needs to speak for itself. As such, to ensure conversion into sales, Hisense created added value and incentives for customers to make purchases.
“The heightened visibility translated into a notable surge in product interest and inquiries, contributing to a doubling of our sales compared with the same period a year ago,” said Rahman, providing evidence of the positive results of the on-ground activation.
The verdict? The proof is in the pudding. On-ground activations don’t always warrant the results a brand is looking for. However, the risk is worth the reward to create lasting positive customer relations by using the brand-building exercise and to improve revenues year on year through sentiment converting into sales.
