Sid Lee and OPPO Celebrate the Return of the UEFA Champions League Final to Istanbul

Jun. 07, 2023

To celebrate the return of the UEFA Champions League Final to Istanbul, leading global smart technology company OPPO and creative agency Sid Lee have collaborated to deliver a global campaign that argues miracles don’t just happen, they’re made of years of hard-work, expertise, professionalism and perseverance. 

As an Official Sponsor of the UEFA Champions League, OPPO has created a film featuring its Global Brand Ambassador, Ricardo Kaká, a player who featured in the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final when Liverpool came back in dramatic fashion to beat AC Milan in a match described as "The Miracle of Istanbul". 

In the global film, Kaká, a former Ballon d’Or winner who played for legendary UEFA Champions League teams AC Milan and Real Madrid, reflects on the many miracles he has witnessed throughout his career, sometimes on the wrong side such as the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final, and sometimes on the right, like when AC Milan avenged the loss in 2005 by beating Liverpool to win the 2007 Final. 

Much like OPPO's leading mobile technology, Kaka argues these miraculous moments were no accident but born out of years of precision, performance, perseverance, and expertise. You can’t just wait for a miracle to happen, you need to work hard and make it happen yourself. 

The 90s hero film launched globally on May 30^th. The campaign also includes print, press, and online media, as well as a TikTok challenge, starting May 31^st  where Kaká will challenge users to a duet of skills using the #MakeYourMiracle. 

Stephane Soussan, ECD, Sid Lee Paris said:

"It was a true privilege to work with such a great player, Ricardo Kaka, as he's the narrator of the great moments that make up football. The challenge was mixing archive footage and live shoots while maintaining a high level of craft. The result is a great film for a great final."

 

Stephen Hall, CEO, Sid Lee London said: 

"Over the years, the UEFA Champions League has produced many miraculous moments of footballing drama. It’s been a pleasure working with OPPO to bring some of these moments to life through such a wonderfully crafted campaign."

 

Olivella Liu, Global Brand Director, OPPO said:

"This campaign brilliantly reflects OPPO’s ‘Inspiration Ahead’ brand positioning. We are delighted to showcase our UCL partnership through such powerful and authentic storytelling."