> These briefs came to me. The ideas are mine. Spec work allows me to imagine what a brand could have done differently.
M+C Saatchi Open House — Bundesliga
01 - Strategy
Challenge: Bundesliga is one of the biggest football leagues, but it doesn’t have any cultural presence, a presence that it deserves. How do we give Bundesliga the cultural impact it deserves?
Market Truth: Every major league is competing. Traditional advertising just doesn’t cut through in today’s digital age. The leagues and brands that make an impact are those that create and foster culture, not content.
People Truth: People are constantly chasing the feeling of being part of something. Lately, watch parties, exclusive/one-time pop-ups, and live events show that presence matters more than simply consuming. No one wants to be that person, the person who missed out on an epic memory.
Cultural Truth: FOMO is real, and it’s a powerful motivator. The most talked about moments are the ones that you could only experience by being there. Yes, you can stream, but you can’t stream being there in the moment.
Brand Truth: Bundesliga is owned by its fans, and it’s the one league where the people in the stands are the same people who own the club, marking a different, personal relationship with football that extends beyond being a consumer.
Proposition: The most powerful thing in football isn’t the match, but the feeling of belonging.
M+C Saatchi Open House — Bundesliga
02 - Creative
Insight: We live in a digital age where everything can be accessed online – matches are streamed, match highlights are on social media the second they happen, and key moments are available on demand. Despite this, access isn’t the same as presence. That feeling you get from watching a match in a pub, in a stadium, in a living room is something that can’t be streamed or saved for later. With Bundesliga, where fans own the club, missing the match isn’t FOMO – it’s personal.
Idea: “It’s not just a match. It’s yours.” The Bundesliga fandom is ownership. The merch, the tickets, the photos — these aren’t just simple memories but proof of what genuinely belongs to the fans.
Execution: Campaign shot in real fan spaces – their bedrooms, living rooms, kitchen tables, pubs, public transport. It’s a campaign that will show people around the world that Bundesliga is not just a club but a positive representation of what and how football should be: for the community.
M+C Saatchi Open House — Bundesliga
03 - Media & PR
Insight: Community-driven experiences create a lot of cultural conversation and impact compared to traditional campaigns. The brands that win big are heavily focused and built around community, where experience is the product. Consumers don’t just need the item; they want to have been there for when it happened.
Idea: “Some things only happen once.” A limited edition Bundesliga x Corteiz kit drop with a single rule: you can only get it by showing up. The drops are messy and last a minute, but that’s the whole experience. There is no online purchase, no early access, no virtual queue, just a location with less than 24hrs notice.
Execution: A travelling pop-up where the location is revealed at the last moment. The only way to bag this limited edition kit is by physically being there. Inside the pop-up, Bundesliga clips and images are displayed throughout – reminding fans who they are supporting and where they are, all while being surrounded by community, the same community that keeps Bundesliga going.