BRAND ACTIVATIONS

The African video-on-demand service and the angry French soccer star

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024

Showmax platform teams up with former Manchester United captain Eric Cantona for dramatic TV marketing stunt.

English Premier League soccer fans around Africa tuned in last week to watch studio hosts Julia Stuart and Owen Hargreaves interview notorious former Manchester United captain Eric Cantona to kick off the start of the new EPL season. No surprises there.

 

But a short while later viewers were very surprised when the seemingly angry Frenchman – who has made a name for himself as an actor after retiring from football – stormed off the set declaring “The revolution will not be televised; the revolution will be live!”

An ‘angry’ Cantona storms off the Matchday Live set as part of the marketing stunt.

Photo: Showmax

Eventually it became clear that the volatile French star was not upset at all – it was all part of a marketing stunt by Showmax, the African-based video-streaming platform – to promote its subscription offering for the 2024-25 English Premier League season. 

 

The video-on-demand service operates in 44 African markets and provides an array of entertainment programming to subscribers, including its EPL soccer coverage which it provides in conjunction with the SuperSport channels that broadcast on DStv. 

 

According to a statement by Showmax, the brand activation drove significant results, with #EricCantona trending across the globe, and #ShowmaxPL and the campaign hashtag #ForEveryoneEverywhere trending on X for hours in South Africa and Kenya. 

 

Activation achieved extensive international PR coverage 

 

“The stunt drove a 72% increase in PR coverage week-on-week, drove more than [US$1.96-million] in PR value and was mentioned more than 27,000 times on social media. The stunt has also been covered on major football sites across the world including SPORTbible, Daily Mail and more,” says Yatish Narsi, Chief Marketing Officer for the MultiChoice Group. 

 

Well-known sportscaster and Showmax Premier League ambassador Robert Marawa, who was in on the prank, shared a behind-the-scenes clip of the filming of the stunt on his X profile, which was reshared many times by hyped fans who had tuned in for the Eric Cantona interview.  

 

Fans also took to X to express feelings of shock, surprise and then delight when it was revealed to be a marketing stunt. 

 

Narsi explains the rationale behind the brand activation: “The reason for the stunt is Showmax’s value proposition. To echo Cantona’s sentiments, ‘the revolution is here!’ The revolution is about having the Premier League on your phone and at an affordable price.”   

 

You can watch the full marketing stunt on YouTube here. Skip to 5:30, where it’s revealed that Cantona had colluded with Showmax. 

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    Dr Kin Kariisa

    Group CEO - Next Media

    Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
    With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
    Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

    Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

    Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

    • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
    • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
    • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
    • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.