The 'Defend your turf' challenge was developed by 141 Worldwide, after the agency secured the project in a mid-2005 pitch against Saatchi & Saatchi and Tequila. The programme is currently running in Malaysia and Singapore, and will also roll out in Australia, India and Thailand.
Five-a-side footballers in each market will pit their skills against each other, and the national champions have the chance to take on the 'Boys from Brazil', a team of promising Brazilian football talent. The most valuable player of the tournament, meanwhile, will be offered an overseas football training stint.
141 and Bates are the lead strategic agencies, working with Nokia's local market PR agencies -- which include Text 100 in Singapore and Ogilvy PR in Malaysia -- while XM has created the defendyourturf.com website. The site features a range of information about the programme, including downloads, and a viral email component to spread the word. Above-the-line support includes a 'Defend your turf' TV promo, airing on ESS' Football Crazy show, featuring the Brazilian players playing football with a range of everyday objects. Other executions include outdoor, print, mobile and field marketing. The Boys from Brazil will also embark on a week-long series of media and public events in Singapore, including autograph-signing and school training clinics.
"Football is the world's most popular team sport, both in terms of viewership and participation," said Chris Carr, GM of Nokia Singapore. "With 'Defend your turf', we aim to connect individuals, communities and nations through their passion for football. In Asia, where space is at a premium, football is enjoyed in a very freestyle spirit, played at every conceivable place. Impromptu matches occur on the streets, on the beach, in the parks. The Nokia 'Defend your turf' challenge captures that spirit."
"Nokia has launched Defend Your Turf as an ongoing platform to bring youths together through their common passions," said a 141 spokesperson. "In this inaugural event, Defend Your Turf focuses on football. In future, Defend Your Turf may focus on other youth passions such as music and art."
141's two-year assignment is expected to build on Nokia's EPL sponsorship on ESS, with on-ground activities targeting a younger audience.
