The client brief was challenging: "create an interactive experience to connect the deodorant with the gaming world based on Rexona's core brand philosophy ('physical movement has a transformative power'). It must not only capture attention but also create a deeper connection with gamers".

So, we partnered with Twitch and EA Sport to launch an innovative football tournament in which fans' physical movements directly impacted the gameplay, merging gaming with real live action.

During each match, 3-minute periods were opened, and fans had to make non-stop movements with their smartphones in hand. Captured by the device's motion sensors, the energy collected was transformed into points for the chosen streamer.

The player with more points got 72 seconds of protection - while the opponent had to play the exact same time with a punishment defined on the spot: changed joystick functions or playing with only half of the screen on.

REXONA CUP: THE FIRST FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT WHERE FANS COULD CHANGE THE GAME. LITERALLY.

Brazilian football fans are known for cheering up loudly and supporting their teams in a very energetic way. But how could we translate this passion into the gaming world to engage the new E-sport fans?

We partnered with Twitch and EA Sport to launch REXONA CUP: a knockout tournament with the most popular streamers in which their fans' physical movements directly impacted their gameplay, merging gaming with real live action.

Since the Deodorant provides up to 72 hours of non-stop protection, by moving their mobile phones physically - with their devices' sensors capturing their movements - fans could grant their favorite streamer 72 seconds of protection from gaming penalties during the match (playing with changed joystick functions or with only half of the screen on).

So, as Rexona's tagline says: fans didn't let their favorite streamers down.

REXONA CUP was all about tackling the marketing challenge of connecting a deodorant brand with the gaming community.

Definitely not an easy task.

And to achieve this, we needed an authentic engagement strategy that could bridge this gap without feeling superficial.

So, the insight was: instead of sponsoring a regular gaming event, let's design from scratch an interactive gaming tournament on Twitch to not only capture gamers attention but also generate a deeper connection with them and their favorite streamers.

So, we managed to integrate Rexona and the gaming world seamlessly, enhancing recognition and loyalty among a target audience known to be difficult to engage through traditional marketing tactics.

This pioneering engagement method increased the brand visibility via a unique and captivating experience - and also marked Rexona's first venture into the gaming world and the first time that a Twitch extension was developed exclusively for a brand.

Bridging the gap between a deodorant and the gaming universe was quite a significant challenge.

Gamers and heavy-tech-users and require an experience that feels inherent and authentic to their world, instead of an artificial brand addition that comes out of the blue and struggles to engage with them.

Moreover, there was a need to translate Rexona's statement "movement inspires change" to the gaming world in a manner that did not just seek attention but fostered a deep and lasting connection with the brand.

Overall, the REXONA CUP met all its objectives effectively, bridging the gap between digital gaming and physical movement, while fostering a lasting engagement with the brand.

The tournament excelled in REACH with a total engagement of 252,000 VIEWERS across the three sessions (an average of 84,000 per live stream), greatly enhancing the brand IMPACT.

ENGAGEMENT was also extremely high during the matches, with over 19,000 CHAT MESSAGES during the live streams and over 3,800 UNIQUE CHATTERS - reflecting a vibrant viewer interaction and also an impressive traction on social media.

The QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE AND INTERACTION was transformative, turning passive viewing into active participation through a Twitch extension and mobile app, deepening the viewer’s connection to the event.

This innovative approach positively shifted BRAND PERCEPTION, presenting Rexona as a dynamic, integral part of the gaming community. The tournament encouraged CHANGE IN BEHAVIOUR, promoting physical activity among viewers.