Challenge
The UEFA Champions League Final held in Istanbul on June 10, 2023, represented one of the largest global sporting moments of the year.
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As a lead sponsor of the event, Mastercard aimed to maximize brand visibility and ensure it was perceived as the most prominent and memorable sponsor among millions of international and local attendees.
The challenge was not only to achieve broad awareness, but also to connect with high-value audiences arriving in the city and convert exposure into measurable engagement.
Strategy
The campaign strategy focused on combining high-impact physical media with data-driven digital activation.
The objective was to:
• Reach international and domestic visitors in high-traffic locations
• Reinforce brand visibility through sequential messaging
• Connect offline exposure with measurable digital engagement
By integrating OOH visibility with mobile targeting, the campaign ensured that audiences who encountered Mastercard in the physical world could be re-engaged digitally.
Activation
The campaign combined multiple media and technology layers.
OOH Presence
Strategic placements across key locations such as Istanbul Airport and major urban traffic corridors ensured maximum exposure during the event week.
Digital Amplification
Using advanced geofencing technology, the campaign retargeted users who had been exposed to the physical placements.
This created a seamless bridge between the offline and online experience.
Localized Creative
A central element of the campaign was a creative featuring Barış Telli, whose story symbolizes determination and resilience.
This localized storytelling strengthened emotional engagement and connected the global football moment with a powerful local narrative.
Technology
The campaign was powered by Azira’s Allspark platform, enabling advanced data capabilities across the campaign lifecycle.
Audience Profiling
Real-time audience insights enabled the identification of key behavioral and demographic segments.
Cross-Media Attribution
Exposure across OOH and digital channels could be linked to measurable user actions, including store visits.
Performance Analytics
The platform delivered real-time reporting across impressions, engagement, and post-campaign footfall, allowing continuous optimization.
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Results
The campaign delivered strong performance across multiple metrics.
• Total Impressions: 1,058,688
• Unique Users Reached: 524,325
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): 1.94% — significantly above industry benchmarks
• Localized Creative CTR: 2.22% for the Barış Telli video
• International Engagement: A substantial portion of interactions came from foreign visitors attending the event.
Conclusion
The Mastercard UEFA Champions League campaign demonstrated how strategic media planning combined with location intelligence can transform large-scale sponsorship into measurable performance.
By integrating OOH visibility with precise digital targeting and advanced attribution, the campaign successfully reinforced Mastercard’s brand presence during one of the world’s most watched sporting events.
