A couple of weeks ago some Belgian commercial tv channels started airing an intriguing ad in which Kanne VV, a local amateur football club, called on the viewers to come and support them during their next match. They desperately needed new fans as they usually play their home games for a public of not more than 5 people. Not surprisingly since they are left pointless at the bottom of the lowest football league there is.

Because such a small club could in no way afford this kind of airplay, the speculating soon began about who was the real advertiser behind the spot. At first, everything pointed towards a famous agency that recently had launched an online community for amateur football clubs commissioned by the no 1 Belgian beer brand.

Last week, the mystery was finally revealed. None other than the tv network that aired the commercials was the actual sponsor of the entire campaign. The goal: to prove that tv advertising really works. To back up this claim, the following results were announced with pride:

• A post campaign study showed that 60% of the respondents knew that Kanne VV was a football club.
• In 3 weeks time the website totaled over 40.000 visits.
• On game day Kanne VV welcomed 400 supporters, about 395 more than usual.

And all it took was 3 weeks of prime time campaigning on 3 national channels which aired the spot in total of 222 times. So, does this really prove that tv advertising works? I beg to differ.

• Seeing VV is the Dutch equivalent of FC (football club) and football is still the no 1 sport in Belgium, it’s not that big of an achievement to get 60% to recognize a football club.
• Furthermore, I manage sites that attract well over 10 times as much visits each and every month at a fraction of the cost of developing and airing a tv campaign.
• And I wonder how many of those “converted” fans will stick around until the end of the season.

I do realize that this campaign was set up as a conversation starter for agencies and advertisers about the efficiency of television as an advertising medium. But that makes it even worse. Not only do they want to prove their point with an unsuccessful campaign, they have no clue about who is interacting with their message.

No where, at any point in the campaign there were clear action triggers: subscribe now, contact us, … Even now when the campaign has ended, nothing is being done to convert that little buzz there is into short term profits and/or long term relationships.

So my guess is, within a week from now, everything will be lost and forgotten. I’m just glad I’m not the one that has to present the ROMI calculation to the client…

Check out the rest of the ads on their YouTube channel.