Heineken Welcomes Fans to Champions Planet With Launch of Ground Breaking Interactive Platform - Championsplanet.com

    AMSTERDAM, September 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Heineken today unveiled it's
 global marketing campaign for it's sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League
 with the launch of www.championsplanet.com. The interactive channel supports
 the global campaign - 'Welcome to Champions Planet' which invites fans to
 proactively take part in the spirit of the UEFA Champions League by bringing
 them fresh, unexpected experiences and entertainment. The overall campaign
 will be launched in over 120 countries throughout the 2005/2006 season.
     The interactive channel will be derived from content originating from an
 audience of UEFA Champions League fans from around the world. Fans will be
 invited to share their passion for the game and give their unique view on the
 UEFA Champions League experience through movies and photography. It will have
 the look and feel of a TV station and feature several streaming channels as
 well as a photo gallery.
     At the core of Championsplanet.com will be the opportunity for fans from
 across the world to win the unique chance of becoming one of 12 Champions
 Planet reporters. Their role will be to co-host the content and be involved
 in the co-creation of numerous web-log photo and video items that will be
 shot during the knock-out phase of the UEFA Champions League season. The
 selection process for the 12 reporters will be through a combination of media
 promotions and a competition mechanic on Championsplanet.com.
     In addition to the interactive media site, Heineken is supporting
 'Welcome to Champions Planet' through a range of activities including TV and
 print ads, trade promotions, promotional packaging and PR, implemented in
 local Heineken markets throughout the world. The TV ads include a thematic
 advert titled 'Square' and a number of sequential break bumpers entitled 'One
 Big Game' which will bring to life the 'Welcome to Champions Planet' concept.
     'Square', directed by the UK director Ron Scalpello, brings together
 football stars Gianfranco Zola (Italy) and Romario de Souza Faria (Brazil).
 Set in a typical European city square, the storyline brings the emotion of
 the UEFA Champions League into everyday life, when four average Champions
 League fans end up in an amazing kick about with the football legends.
     In addition to the thematic ad, the 'One Big Game' break bumper ads,
 directed by the Dutch director, Matthijs van Heijningen Jr, support
 Heineken's broadcast coverage around UEFA Champions League matches. The
 storyline of the global journey of a football will appear as a number of
 separate mini-ads, which are cleverly linked together across the duration of
 a match, to create one story.
     Heineken Global Marketing Communication Manager, Walter Drenth said: "We
 are very excited about the launch of the 'Welcome to Champions Planet'
 campaign, especially the new interactive channel, www.championsplanet.com.
 Our aim is to create an integrated campaign which actively encourages a level
 of involvement from fans by bringing an exciting and fresh perspective to the
 UEFA Champions League. We believe that the interactive platform, along with
 our global ad campaign, will allow us to connect football fans globally and
 create active engagement between the fans and the UEFA Champions League."
     Editors notes:
     Heineken has signed to be a sponsor of the UEFA Champions League for a 4
 year period and its campaign for the 2005/06 season will be implemented in
 over 120 markets world-wide. Heineken's global activation of the sponsorship
 is part of the company's plans to invest in high impact marketing activity,
 in order to build the Heineken brand equity and extend its leadership
 position in the premium beer category.
     Heineken is the world's most international premium beer sold in almost
 every country. It is brewed using all natural ingredients (hops, barley and
 pure water).
 
 

SOURCE  Heineken