Underdog marketing: How small budgets can compete with big brands

Big brands, big budgets – is there room for the underdogs?

Burnley Football Club's recent social media success suggests there might be more to the game than money.

Setting the Stage

Yesterday, on Twitter, Burnley FC's social media team ignited a spark of hope in the hearts of social marketing teams worldwide. If football isn't your cup of tea, here's the situation. We're in the thick of the football season when players are up for grabs in the transfer market.

Budget disparities in the transfer window

Bigger clubs, boasting the most substantial budgets, have the pulling power to attract top talent. In stark contrast, the smaller clubs need to be savvy with their purchases. They invest in developing their player's skills, going head-to-head with the best and offering high-quality coaching from their in-house team.

The frenzy of the transfer window

The transfer window is not just a whirlwind for the recruitment and legal teams. It's also a rollercoaster ride for the social media teams tasked with keeping fans updated with kit launches, pre-season fixtures, and more. All this while building up momentum for a new season of ticket sales.

The power of digital in football

A football club's social media team has become crucial in our digital age. They're getting the word out fast, announcing and unveiling new signings when the ink dries on the contracts.

David vs Goliath: Burnley vs Arsenal

So, how does a smaller club like Burnley stand up to the heavyweight spenders of the transfer period like Arsenal?

Arsenal's high-profile campaign

Arsenal, finishing 2nd in the Premier League last season, are trailblazers when it comes to online communications from their social media team. Their kit sponsor, Adidas, orchestrated a star-studded announcement video for their latest signing, Declan Rice. A spectacle with cameos from celebs to football legends, this campaign boasted an impressive line-up. You can watch it here.

The successful giants: Adidas and Arsenal

The campaign, deemed a colossal success by fans, chalks up yet another win for the Adidas marketing teams. The video, published on Adidas Football's Twitter page, racked up a whopping 8 million views, thousands of retweets, quotes, likes, and bookmarks.

Here are some reaction to the video from Adidas

Omg. This is great. No one does it like The Arsenal and Adidas. @Gooner_70ns

Adidas being our sponsors has done wonders for us, more than people realise - @tochi_ra

The Adidas x Arsenal partnership is the best I’ve seen. They understand each other so well. @joelbortey

The underdog strikes: Burnley's audacious announcement.

In comparison, Burnley, newly promoted to the Premier League, announced their new signing Zeki Amdouni in a rather unconventional fashion. Far from being a big-budget, celebrity-loaded video like Arsenal's, Burnley's announcement was audacious, making it equally, if not more, impactful.

Underdog victory: the numbers don't lie

Burnley's announcement video was released on their Twitter page and has already amassed over 10.4 million views, thousands of retweets, quotes, likes, and bookmarks in less than 24 hours. Watch it here.

Here are some quote reactions to this video

I've said it before, I'll say it again, give Burnley's marketing team a raise 😂 @rebekkarnold

If you told me 5 years ago Burnley would be announcing €18m Swiss Wonderkids using Teletubbies I'd say you were on some hardcore narcotics. @OfficialVizeh

This is why I support Burnley. There's no rules with them. @specsgonzalez

Is it possible to compete in the marketing games?

As the stats continue to roll in, we're left to ponder – is it possible to compete with a big brand, even with a tiny budget?

As the underdogs of Burnley FC have demonstrated, with a healthy dose of audacity and an offbeat idea, it's not just possible – it's a game-changer. Watch this space because the marketing world may be in for more surprises.

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