For decades, pitch-side boards have been part of the environment of an official football match, playing a significant role in showcasing sponsor brands. But with Ballboards, for the first time, a football pitch-side did what no board had done before: actively participate in the match, expanding the boundaries of sponsorship. More than just a regular billboard, we combined technology and creativity to transform a traditional medium into a brand statement for fast delivery. And by transforming billboards into 'Ballboards,' we achieved something never done before with a billboard: it became part of the game.

Mercado Libre is the leading e-commerce platform in Brazil. Despite its popularity, the brand was not commonly associated with fast delivery—an essential attribute for its category and a real strength for the brand, as it offers the fastest delivery in the country.

Football, deeply ingrained in Brazilian culture, attracts massive attention with its numerous championships and beloved teams. Recognizing this, Mercado Libre has extensively invested in football, including sponsorships at various levels and even acquiring naming rights for the most iconic stadium in Sao Paulo, the Pacaembu. Being closer to football is important for Mercado Libre for its awareness and connection with their target audience.

One of the key events in this sport is the Campeonato Carioca, featuring prominent teams like Flamengo, Brazil's biggest and most popular team with a vast national fan base. The championship finals, held at the Maracanã Stadium, were witenessed by more than 120k spectators, and broadcasted both on TV and streaming platforms, ensuring extensive viewership.

Mercado Libre, the largest e-commerce platform in Latin America, has a fast delivery service, a benefit still underrecognized by Brazilian consumers. The company strategically utilized its robust soccer sponsorships to highlight this advantage, aligning with the national passion for the sport. The campaign's goal was to enhance Mercado Libre's perception, transitioning from just an online marketplace to the leader in rapid delivery services. This was achieved by captivating soccer fans with an innovative integration of game excitement and operational efficiency. Regarding media strategy, while billboards are common at soccer stadiums, they traditionally serve as passive advertising. Mercado Libre transformed this norm by using interactive billboards that not only displayed advertising but actively engaged with the game, enhancing the live experience and mirroring the speed and convenience of their service, thus standing out in a crowded advertising landscape and connecting the brands message consistently both inside and outside the stadium.

Pitch-side advertising has long served as a backdrop where all the action happens, but what if the largest e-commerce platform in Latin America used this space to showcase its fast delivery service and became part of the game itself? Introducing Ballboards by Mercado Libre. Strategically positioned at pitch-side, these innovative billboards feature built-in ball cannons that actively engage in the match by swiftly returning balls back into play when they go out of bounds, seamlessly integrating into the flow of the game. Integrated into the LED boards, each ball delivery is accompanied by the message: 'Your ball has arrived.'

Mercado Libre targeted men and women aged 18 to 54, all of whom share a strong interest in soccer. Strategically, the brand leveraged the Campeonato Carioca finale, featuring Brazil's most popular team, Flamengo. This choice ensured substantial national exposure, captivating over 120k stadium spectators and millions watching through TV and online broadcasts. To break away from conventional passive advertising, Mercado Libre deployed Ballboards, dynamic billboards at pitch corners that actively returned the ball during play. This engagement was enhanced by broadcast partnerships that spotlighted the boards live, and by social media campaigns on Instagram and TikTok. These campaigns included football and entertainment influencers to foster wider dialogue. By merging these tactics, Mercado Libre distinguished itself in a crowded market and powerfully connected its fast delivery service with the excitement of live soccer, creating a compelling and resonant brand experience.

Our execution revolved around three key moments of a major final: pre-game warm-up, the match, and post-game debate.

Prior to kick-off, we utilized Instagram and TikTok ads to unveil Mercado Libre's new advertising board, generating intrigue among viewers and encouraging them to watch the game.

During the match, Ballboards quickly returned the ball during corner kicks while displaying the message "your ball has arrived," emphasizing one of Mercado Libre's main brand attributes, fast delivery. The official images of the match displayed it on tv and online streaming. With the match narrator emphasizing the brand activation for those watching the game.

Post-game, influencers shared their astonishment with the ballboards game interaction on Twitter and Instagram, making the brand become part of the post game debate. By leveraging these channels across these key moments, we successfully expanded our reach beyond game's enthusiasts.

We have impacted over 120,782 fans who were watching the two final games at the stadium and captivating 15MM people through live transmission. It became an instant hit, with 40MM organic views within the first 48 hours, 10 times more than the match's highlights—marking the first occasion an advertising initiative generated more buzz than the match itself. The Ballboards reach was not limited to Brazil alone and garnered international attention, being noticed in 26 channels from over 20 different countries. Furthermore, the campaign achieved 1.6 billion impressions around the world and U$ 6 million on earned media. And finally, the success at the finale at Maracanã set a precedent, leading to the implementation of the Ballboards in subsequent tournaments, as the Conmebol Libertadores and the 2024 Copa America, and others, still in negotiations.