BT Sport and Sky count down to Premier League kick-off

BT Sport and Sky are ramping up their marketing activity with just a week to go until the new Premier League season kicks off.

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BT Sport is upping the stakes with a Countdown-inspired campaign that will feature across Channel 4, E4, More4 and Film4. As part of an exclusive partnership with Channel 4, a series of ads will feature the iconic Countdown clock and four Countdown Conundrums related to the season opening.

The campaign will see ad breaks open with a 10 second spot showing one of the anagrams. The last 20 second spot in the same ad break will reveal the answer.

The ads mark the first time the Countdown brand has been used in an ad campaign. BT’s consumer marketing director David James saying it forms part of its “innovative” campaigns approach as it looks to win out over rival Sky in the battle for football viewers.

James adds: “Our new advertising campaign with Channel 4 reflects the creative, fan-centred approach BT Sport has to covering sport.”

The latest activity is part of a multimillion pound strategy by BT Sport to take on Sky in sports broadcasting. The move does seem to be paying off, with BT’s brand value soaring and the company’s consumer division posting its first yearly revenue growth for more than a decade.

Its campaign to promote its sports service, which is offered free to BT broadband customers, has this year focused on the pivotal moments of last season, including the case of mistaken identity when Arsenal player Kieran Gibbs was sent off instead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Not to be outdone, Sky is ramping up its consumer offer in a bid to attract viewers to its service. The broadcaster is allowing non Sky-Sports customers free access on the 16 August, the day the new Premier League season kicks off.

It is also launching a new section within its on-demand content that lets viewers choose from 20 different club sections to gain access to programmes featuring their favourite team. Sky Sports 5, which features European football, is set to launch this month as part of what Sky claims is its “biggest ever season”.

The new premier league seasons kicks off next Saturday when Manchester United take on Swansea.

 

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