The 2024 CONMEBOL Copa America, one of the most anticipated football events in the world, has provided Mastercard with another opportunity to deepen its connection to fans, small businesses, and communities. As part of its ongoing partnership with Lionel Messi, Mastercard launched the "Giving Back" campaign. This ad campaign, inspired by Messi's personal experiences with fans, emphasizes the importance of gratitude and paying it forward.
In lead up to the tournament, Mastercard unveiled their latest film commercial with ambassador Lionel Messi "Giving Back":
Part of this initiative was a sweepstakes giveaway featuring signed jerseys from football legends, giving fans a chance to win a tangible piece of the game they love. BluEdge contributed to this initiative by engineering and producing the premium packaging for these exclusive kits.
The "Giving Back" campaign, led by McCann, a global advertising agency network under Interpublic Group, and fronted by Lionel Messi, aimed to highlight Mastercard’s dedication to connecting people to their passions while celebrating the generosity shown by football fans and small businesses. The goal of the campaign was to create a sense of gratitude and community, where Mastercard, Messi, and the sport itself could give back to the very people who support them.
In partnership with McCann, our role was to elevate this initiative through the design and production of custom, high-end packaging for the exclusive signed jersey kits. By crafting a premium unboxing experience, we ensured that each sweepstakes winner and VIP partner felt the full impact of the campaign’s message- the importance of community, appreciation, and priceless experiences.
BluEdge was tasked with the role in delivering the final presentation of the jersey sweepstake kits. Our work encompassed several key phases, from design engineering to final production.
Our Packaging Comps and Realization team engineered the box shape and selected materials that reflected the premium nature of the campaign. The challenge was to create a robust yet minimalistic and elegant design that could securely house the signed jerseys and ensure they arrived at the sweepstakes winners’ home in perfect condition.
During the design phase, we collaborated closely with McCann to work out the final presentation of the packaging. The materials we selected included a high-end black EVA foam platform, which securely held each jersey in a framed glass shadow box. The outer packaging featured intricate details, including metallic gold and spot gloss printing, with a soft-touch varnish finish both inside and out.
Once the design was approved, our team moved forward with the production of 93 units of the outer boxes. We sourced the frames for the jerseys and carefully assembled the signed jerseys into their frames and then into the packaging. Of these, 50 kits contained jerseys signed by Hector Fernandez, 20 by Cristo Fernandez, and 5 grand prize kits featured jerseys signed by Lionel Messi. Additionally, 18 exclusive kits were created for Mastercard VIPs and partners.
The outer packaging design included thoughtful elements, including the box closure where 8 concealed magnets were used to secure the hinged doors for a sleek yet secure design. Inside, the autographed jerseys were showcased in wood-framed glass shadow boxes, each sealed with a logo representing the campaign’s partners. Our team wrapped and assembled each box and ensured every final kit was flawless in it's presentation.
Mastercard announced the Jersey Sweepstakes in collaboration with Messi through a dedicated Instagram post:
This project was a unique opportunity for our team at BluEdge to contribute to a globally celebrated event, while aligning with Mastercard’s mission to support local communities and create meaningful, memorable experiences. Our ability to deliver high-end packaging by merging practical functionality with sophisticated design played a great role in amplifying the emotional impact of the campaign’s objective for giving back. The packaging, a minimalist yet striking design, was carefully crafted to enhance the overall unboxing experience, and to ensure that each lucky recipient felt the significance of the moment as they revealed their signed jerseys.
The CONMEBOL Copa America X Mastercard campaign provided us with an avenue to once again, showcase our expertise in packaging innovation and contribute to the overall success of the campaign. Our team’s contribution to this high-profile campaign underscored the critical role that thoughtful, meticulously engineered packaging plays in elevating a brand’s message and creating memorable touchpoints for its audience. Through our partnership with McCann, BluEdge helped bring Mastercard’s vision to life by transforming priceless moments into tangible, unforgettable experiences for football fans across the globe.