We employed a Double Diamond Design Thinking Framework which included the phases:

Discover, Define, Develop, Deliver, and Disrupt.

PROCESS

In the discovery phase,

• we immersed ourselves in soccer stadium environments,

• conducted ethnographic studies,

• empathy mapping,

• persona mapping,

• and user journeys

to understand the Nedbank Cup ecosystem value chain. We identified key customer segments, including fans and merchants, to design experiences for. By mapping out their experiences, we highlighted opportunistic touchpoints to enhance experiences and mitigate friction points.

DISCOVER

*Click the screen to view some of the 1ST IMMERSION clips

*Click again to change clip

In the definition phase, we identified opportunities and pain points within the Nedbank Cup ecosystem for fans and merchants.

We validated our findings through further immersions, aiming to confirm our problem and opportunity statements.

A product-market fit study on the merchant segment involved experiments with a handful of merchants at the stadium to assess the impact of tested value propositions.

DEFINE

*Click the screen to view some PRODUCT-MARKET FIT immersion clips

*Click again to change clip

Using consolidated insights, we moved into the campaign ideation and strategy phase for the fan segment.

We devised a primary fan ideation strategy centered around direct fan engagement and product infiltration into the Nedbank Cup ecosystem.

Collaborating with agencies, we launched the “Ke Yona, Ya Rona” campaign, where fans engaged in gamified experiences on various platforms for a chance to win a share of 5 million rands.

DEVELOP

*Click the screen to view the "KE YONA, YA RONA" 2024 advert

In the development phase, we created on-the-ground campaigns that contributed to the main campaign.

Secondary campaign journeys within the awareness phase of the Primary journey were developed in collaboration with agencies.

DELIVER

The on-the-ground campaigns included the following:

• "The Legendary Shoot-out": An activation mimicking the Nedbank Cup knockout tournament where 32 participants competed in a penalty shootout against legendary South African goalkeepers.

• "Shisanyama VIP Experience": A social media campaign competition where winners were hosted at a local shisanyama to watch a Nedbank Cup match.

• "The Ya-Rona House": A VIP experience for social media campaign winners during the semi-finals and finals, bringing fans together from across the nation to engage with soccer legends and content creators.

We attended the Ya Rona house experience to compare the intended and actual experiences delivered to the fans.

Through passive observations, fan intercepts, and documentation, we gathered insights and recommendations for future iterations of the Nedbank Cup.

EVALUATE

*Click the screen to view the "YA RONA HOUSE" experience