The “Being Dele” campaign by BT Sport leverages the personality and athletic versatility of England and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli to embody the brand’s promise of delivering comprehensive, high-performance sports coverage. By positioning Dele Alli as a multi-sport competitor facing off against elite athletes from rugby, basketball, mixed martial arts, boxing, cricket, and football, the campaign conveys BT Sport’s value proposition: providing access to a diverse array of top-tier sports, delivered with intensity and authenticity.
Strategically, the campaign taps into the insight that contemporary sports audiences increasingly appreciate multifaceted athleticism and the crossover appeal of star athletes beyond traditional football fandom. By showcasing Dele Alli competing against prominent figures from other sports disciplines, BT Sport connects with a broader, performance-driven demographic that values skill, competitiveness, and the thrill of diverse sporting contests. The choice of Dele Alli, a rising football star known for his dynamic playing style and engaging persona, serves to humanize the brand while appealing to younger, digitally engaged sports fans in the United Kingdom.
From a creative perspective, the campaign uses a cinematic film format featuring multiple sports icons to emphasize BT Sport’s access to a wide variety of premium sports content. This multi-sport narrative underpins the market strategy by demonstrating BT Sport’s unique positioning as a comprehensive sports platform rather than a single-sport broadcaster. The integration of a limited-time offer for new subscribers further aims to convert interest into trial and long-term engagement, leveraging the campaign’s momentum around Dele Alli’s appeal.
Overall, “Being Dele” operates as both a brand statement of BT Sport’s expansive sports rights and a targeted engagement tool designed to attract diverse sports enthusiasts through a compelling, performance-oriented narrative.
FORMAT#8 ONGOING CHARACTERS OR CELEBRITIES — Uses a recurring personality or celebrity for brand recall.
'Being Dele' centers its creative device on high-profile athletes and celebrities—chiefly England footballer Dele Alli, along with a star-studded roster from various sports. This ensemble of familiar faces draws attention and credibility, leveraging their charisma and aspirational status to drive brand recall for BT Sport. There's no central narrative arc or direct problem-solution framing; instead, the campaign builds appeal through association with celebrity athletes, spotlighting the exclusive content and access that BT Sport offers. The campaign’s title, meta description, and emphasis on featured personalities confirm that the core format is about celebrity-driven recognition and connection.
ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
1. Sky Sports – Positioned as a premium sports broadcaster, Sky Sports leverages exclusive rights to major sporting events and comprehensive live coverage, delivering high-quality, expert commentary and analysis. It differentiates itself through innovative technology integration and a broad portfolio of sports, appealing to dedicated sports enthusiasts and maintaining strong brand loyalty.
2. Eurosport – Known for its extensive European sports coverage, Eurosport positions itself as a versatile, multi-sport broadcaster offering both mainstream and niche sporting events. Its strategic angle involves catering to diverse audiences with multilingual support and accessibility across multiple platforms, emphasizing affordability and wide reach.
3. Amazon Prime Video (Sports) – Emerging as a digital disruptor, Amazon Prime Video focuses on streaming exclusive live sports content combined with its broader entertainment offerings. It differentiates itself through on-demand viewing flexibility, integrating sports with mainstream digital content, and targeting younger, tech-savvy viewers seeking convenience.
4. BBC Sport – As a public broadcaster, BBC Sport emphasizes impartial, high-quality sports journalism and broad coverage without subscription fees. Its positioning hinges on trusted reporting, comprehensive highlights, and extensive coverage of grassroots to elite sports, appealing to a mass audience valuing accessibility and public service ethos.
5. DAZN – A global sports streaming service, DAZN positions itself as an affordable, subscription-based alternative to traditional pay-TV channels. It focuses on delivering live and on-demand sports content via digital platforms, targeting cord-cutters and younger consumers who prefer flexible, mobile-friendly viewing options with less reliance on cable providers.
Q: What is Being Dele about?
A: Being Dele is a 2017 professional campaign created by BBDO for BT Sport and launched in the United Kingdom. The campaign centers on England and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli, showcasing his athletic versatility by pitting him against a roster of elite athletes from various sports, including rugby, basketball, mixed martial arts, boxing, cricket, and football. Through a cinematic film format, Being Dele highlights both Alli’s multifaceted talent and BT Sport’s comprehensive sports coverage, positioning the brand as a premier destination for fans seeking access to top-tier sporting content across disciplines.
Q: What creative device does Being Dele use?
A: Being Dele employs the ongoing characters or celebrities format, classified as FORMAT#8 in Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This approach leverages the star power of Dele Alli and a lineup of high-profile athletes to drive brand recall and audience engagement. By centering the campaign around familiar sports personalities, BT Sport creates immediate recognition and emotional connection, using celebrity association rather than a traditional narrative arc or problem-solution structure to reinforce the brand’s access to exclusive, premium sports content.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for Being Dele?
A: The campaign proposition for Being Dele positions BT Sport as the ultimate destination for high-performance, multi-sport coverage, embodied through the athletic prowess and versatility of Dele Alli. By featuring Alli in direct competition with leading figures from rugby, basketball, MMA, boxing, cricket, and football, BT Sport communicates its commitment to delivering diverse, top-tier sports content to a broad, performance-driven audience. The campaign strategically appeals to younger, digitally engaged fans who value skill, competition, and access to a wide spectrum of sporting excellence, reinforcing BT Sport’s role as a comprehensive platform in the media and entertainment market.
Q: How does Being Dele rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: Being Dele holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 78/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance within the sports media landscape.
Q: Who are the competitors in BT Sport's category?
A: In the sports broadcasting and streaming market, BT Sport competes with several key players. Sky Sports is positioned as a premium broadcaster known for exclusive rights and expert commentary, appealing to dedicated sports enthusiasts. Eurosport offers extensive European coverage and accessibility, targeting diverse audiences with both mainstream and niche events. Amazon Prime Video is emerging as a digital disruptor, integrating exclusive live sports with on-demand entertainment for younger, tech-savvy viewers. BBC Sport leverages its public broadcaster status to provide trusted, comprehensive coverage without subscription fees, while DAZN focuses on affordability and flexible digital access for cord-cutters and mobile-first consumers.
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