The marketing department at online poker giant Pokerstars has focused on social media leverage in its latest video campaign to promote its Knockout Poker product, and the outstanding results so far illustrate just how powerful social media opportunities can be.
The video, which has gone viral across the internet and Facebook, is titled “Neymar JR’s Epic Capoeira Football KO Skills” and features internationally acclaimed football star Neymar JR alongside world football freestyle champion Andrew Henderson; extreme martial arts artists Jonny Caines and Chris Mark; and football trick shot specialist Liam Coyte.
The “Capoeira” in the title refers to the Brazilian combination of martial arts and gymnastics which is popular in the country.
The group performs amazing stunts with footballs, shooting at Knockout Poker targets which explode in a thunderous splash of orange smoke when hit (and these guys do not miss). The display of athleticism and ball control is worth viewing on the Youtube version here:
UK viewers have reported that the promo is blocked in the UK by gambling regulations, but the vid is also up on Neymar JR’s Facebook page, where it has already amassed more than a million views in the last 5 days.
In related news, the London-based social media creative agency Gravity Road has been hired by Pokerstars and will be producing another football-oriented video for the poker company, reportedly starring Neymar and fellow Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo.
Pokerstars director of advertising, Simon Tilbury, will oversee the project, which given the massive social media following of both celebrities, looks set to generate major publicity.