A Bola and the Heineken® brand together in a branded content project

The partnership brings together the new A BOLA ecosystem and the new Heineken® campaign, dedicated to the UEFA Champions League;
Heineken® “Star Fans” and Heineken® “HardCoreFans” are two of the project’s sections;
The project is a pioneer for A BOLA and marks a new communication paradigm;
A BOLA produced all the content in house in a turnkey project.

A BOLA has established a partnership with the brand Heineken®, official sponsor of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) since 1994, to leverage the communication of the brand’s latest campaign “A toast to the true fanatics”. The branded content strategy was designed by A BOLA LAB, the new in-house content producer at the recently renewed A BOLA. With access to modernized editorial tools, A BOLA has a whole new ecosystem – social networks, website, TV and print.

The strategy’s creative proposal is based on two distinct sections – Heineken® Star Fans and Heineken® HardCoreFans – whose editorial construction, recording, editing, realization, production, content management and implementation were also the responsibility of A BOLA’s new content producer.

“Star Fans” is a UCL match preview series presented by actress and content producer Márcia Pacheco, which has allowed Heineken® to increase its presence and proximity to fans of the best football competition in the world – the UEFA Champions League, under the curatorship of A BOLA.

With the aim of promoting the Heineken brand campaign “A toast to the true fanatics”, the “HardCoreFans” section was created. In this section, the three winners of the competition run by the brand tell their personal and real stories, proving that they are true soccer fanatics.

For Bernardo Azevedo, A BOLA’s Chief Sales & Partnerships Officer, “It’s a pleasure to see our entire new structure capable of making projects of this scale possible. The opportunity to partner with a brand like Heineken® put our entire new ecosystem and all our new content production capabilities to the test, and it was just the first step in this new paradigm for A BOLA.”

Filipa Magalhães, marketing manager for the Heineken® brand in Portugal adds: “Heineken® seeks to redefine what it means to be a ‘true fanatic’ to combat negative stereotypes and help make football more inclusive. This partnership with A BOLA has helped us to show all Portuguese people that being an unconditional fan isn’t about how you look, it’s about how you behave and express your love for football”.

This project, which began on February 13, ended on June 1, the day of the UEFA Champions League final. The final video can be watched here.

For more content:

Star Fans:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6qlRN2NkyJ/?igsh=OGhpZndhMTF0ODNu
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6YbFrtN78G/?igsh=MWNyaGx6cHk4ejB2MQ==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C50VSJxNdY3/?igsh=MWVlNHRjOHpwbGhobg==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5iYXGGtnfP/?igsh=bm9lazkwOWszbWox
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4aLdBdNZ3s/?igsh=MThmMW04cWNmaTQ0OQ%3D%3D
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4IOOsitexH/?igsh=MWF2dGJuZ2prNmRvZw==

About A BOLA
For almost 80 years, A Bola has been one of the leading sports information brands in Portugal. With a strong presence in both print and digital, A Bola is a reference for sports lovers, combining tradition and modernity to offer a wide range of coverage of sporting events. A Bola stands out for its ability to innovate digitally and produce video content. Since July 2023, A Bola has been part of the Ringier Sports Media Group (RSMG), which reaches more than 25 million fans every month with sports information through 8 brands in 8 European countries. Founded in 2022, RSMG combines the best national sports media with innovative global technology.

About Heineken®:
In 1873, a young entrepreneur named Gerard Heineken discovered a passion for brewing beer. He bought a plot of land in what is now the center of Amsterdam, built a brewery and set about perfecting the recipe that would soon become Holland’s first premium lager. Word quickly spread, and the name Heineken®, stamped on every bottle, became a national symbol of quality. At the heart of Heineken®’s success are pure, natural ingredients: barley malt, water, hops and a small but significant element called A-yeast. Yeast A, exclusive to Heineken®, is responsible for the rich, balanced taste and subtle fruity notes that have distinguished every Heineken® since the 19th century. Heineken® is the world’s most international premium beer brand, sold in more than 170 countries.