A bold idea: Turning tower bridge into a giant goal frame
PUMA and DUDE London brought a bold vision to life by transforming one of London’s most iconic landmarks - Tower Bridge - into the largest goal frame ever created. The River Thames was reimagined as a “football pitch,” while the opening of Tower Bridge formed two monumental goalposts, setting the stage for a historic goal moment.
Launching the brilliance ball - the premier league’s new match ball
Influencer Jelani and Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers were tasked by PUMA with finding the perfect location to take the first shot. After careful consideration, they chose Tower Bridge, where a 10.5-meter-tall inflatable ball would float along the river, pass through the bridge, and score a symbolic goal to mark the start of the new season.
The event also marked the official launch of the Brilliance Ball, the first new Premier League match ball in 25 years. Featuring a modern design and advanced technology, the Brilliance Ball quickly captured the attention of industry experts, players, and football fans alike.
The “Have a Ball” message and lessons in emotional branding
This campaign builds on DUDE London’s “Have a Ball” message, which aims to reignite the spontaneous joy of football and encourage people to play freely—anywhere, with anything, from jackets and traffic cones to iconic structures like Tower Bridge. Through this approach, PUMA transformed a slogan into a living experience, directly tapping into emotional touchpoints created by surprise and visual spectacle—when a cultural landmark like Tower Bridge becomes a giant goal frame. This “wow” moment connects creativity with the joy of football, reinforcing the idea that football is not limited to a 90-minute match but can exist anywhere.
From a storytelling perspective, PUMA did more than introduce a new product—it told a journey. From Jelani and Morgan Rogers searching for the “perfect location” to the climax of the giant ball rolling through the bridge, the campaign guided audiences from curiosity to anticipation and finally to emotional payoff. The product became the “hero” of the story, rather than just another advertising object.
Key takeaways
The Tower Bridge campaign goes beyond a product launch, demonstrating the power of emotional branding and experiential marketing:
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A distinctive brand moment: Turning Tower Bridge into a giant goal frame delivered an unexpected “wow” moment and created an exceptionally strong visual key asset. The combination of the opening bridge, the River Thames, and the oversized football formed a striking and highly memorable image. The ball’s color effects, its movement across the water, and the contrast with London’s iconic architecture came together as a “living advertising canvas” that few brands could replicate.
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A fresh fan experience: Beyond introducing the Brilliance Ball—the Premier League’s new football—the campaign offered a new way to experience the sport: a pitch can exist anywhere, even within cultural heritage sites. This strategy is rooted in a key insight: fans don’t just watch football, they live with it in everyday life. As a result, “Have a Ball” became more than a product message—it opened a new emotional pathway tied to surprise, joy, and shared moments.
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A creative and connected brand image: The campaign reinforced PUMA’s brand personality as youthful, bold, and community-driven. By linking the product to a major cultural moment, PUMA positioned itself as a “creative companion” to football fans, rather than merely a sports equipment manufacturer. This resonance helps the brand remain top of mind not only through rational appeal (a new product) but also through emotional connection (a unique experience and creative spirit).
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A scalable branding strategy: The true strength lies not only in the spectacle, but in the ability to extend the experience across online and offline touchpoints. When the Tower Bridge key visual is adapted across digital channels—through AR filters, UGC challenges, or mini installations in other cities—everything remains unified under the “Have a Ball” message. This is how a campaign moves beyond awareness to emotional engagement, encouraging co-creation and building long-term brand connection.
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