Bellingham kicks, Adidas scores

It was the kick heard round the world.

It was 95 minutes into the England vs. Slovakia game of the Euro ’24, and England was on the cusp of an embarrassing loss and exit from the tournament.

Call it skill or divine intervention, what Jude Bellingham did next would go on to save the day.

After all, what better way to salvation than an overhead bicycle kick just minutes before the end of the game?

The equalizer earned the team extra time, which Captain Harry Kane then used to score the final winning goal. And that sent them through to the quarter-final against Switzerland (if only their luck had continued, but I digress...).

It’s moments like these that make people watch football.

It’s also moments like these that produce some brilliant brand building opportunities.

Which Adidas is no stranger to.

Actually, its presence on social media during the entire tournament was top tier. It's a shining example of what it means for a brand to not only engage with a community, but fully immerse itself in one. 

If you take a look at the Adidas Instagram account, you’ll see they fully committed to being the social commentators of the Euro 2024 tournament.

I’m not talking ordinary, run-of-the-mill commentary.

I'm talking instantaneous commentary, often posting about moments as they happen.

This is important, because it felt as if the brand was on the ground, watching each game with us. And by us, I mean the 26 million viewers that tuned in to watch England’s penalty shoot-out in the quarter-final game.

An audience of that size is one you may want to take advantage of, if you can, that is.

But how?

It helps that in this context, Adidas is, by and large, a sports brand. And the Euro is, well, a sporting event.

But irrespective of that, events like the Euro’s are made up of cultural moments. Moments that are marketing gold that drive traffic, excitement and pique interest at lightning speed. These moments offer a huge opportunity for brands to get in front of these massive, engaged global audiences.

Research from Seedtag shows that there was a 71% uptick in visits to websites publishing articles about the Tokyo Olympics during the 2021 games.

The key is finding ways to join the fun without detracting from the main event.

Taking a page from Adidas' playbook, social media is the perfect tool for this.

Because this is where you can engage and interact with fans, helping them build a deeper connection with your brand.

Take this post for example. Adidas quickly jumped on the moment of Bellingham’s overhead kick with this clever piece of creative. It features a close-up of his upside down foot in the air during the famous kick, wearing none other than an Adidas boot.

No need for copy. Adidas knew their audience would understand.

It’s simple, it’s timely, and it quietly says something important about the brand's relationship with football fans--'We get you, because we’re one of you.'

One of the most important things you can do as a brand on social media is pinpoint significant cultural, commercial and seasonal touchpoints. Then you'll better understand how different audiences and topics intersect.

This way, instead of following trends, you’ll know how to identify important moments and engage appropriately. And you'll speak the language of your audience, harnessing the power of shared passion amongst fans.

How to score with your audience:

Get your timing right. Use social media to provide instantaneous commentary on events like the Euro’s (or the upcoming Olympics—hint, hint). This way, your audience will see your brand as someone who's on the journey with them.

Choose your moments. Know how to identify what moments matter, then create content that shares the excitement of the people who are paying attention to them. This is how you garner attention from large, engaged audiences.

Connect on their level. Learn your audience's language so you can create content that speaks directly to them. This shows your brand understands and shares their passions.

By the way, I'm sorry to the Three Lions fans for triggering you by writing about this so soon. Thoughts and prayers xx

-Sophie, Writer