| Story | Any World Cup is a microcosm for the world stage but 2018’s tournament was a gift. A raft of nations often in the headlines (for the wrong reasons) were being represented and, combined with particularly controversial Russian hosts, this World Cup would potentially be the most politically-charged in decades.At relevant stages in the tournament, as soon as fixtures were announced, we selected the most intriguing match ups - politically speaking. Then, as the results came in, we reacted in real-time with thought-provoking digital ads about the stories of the nations involved - beyond the football.From Russia’s dubious use of social media to Nigeria’s impressive advances in solar energy, The Economist popped up across websites, on social media and on big outdoor screens in London’s Fanzones to offer the kind of punditry only The Economist could provide.We created a series of headlines for each match, based around the different outcomes of win, lose or draw. Then, through a smart use of tech, the scoreline was piped-in in real-time from Sports Radar to Flashtalking, who then dynamically assembled the ads from the appropriate headline with the official score.Our provocative headlines linked through to compelling content, relevant to the nations involved in each match. This unique approach beat all the pundits to the punch with a unique global perspective the minute the matches finished. |