Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
To mark the 11th anniversary of Clash of Clans, Supercell made a bold move: they introduced football superstar Erling Haaland as a fully playable in-game character — a first in the game's history. The campaign, titled “Haaland Payback Time,” blurred the lines between sport, gaming, and pop culture, turning one of the world’s most recognized athletes into a digital barbarian.
Clash of Clans is a game built on loyalty, comebacks, and epic battles — themes that mirror the drama of professional sports. Erling Haaland, known for his relentless style and larger-than-life presence, embodied those same traits, making him the perfect real-world hero to enter the virtual battlefield.
What if one of football’s fiercest strikers became a warrior in Clash of Clans? The campaign kicked off with cinematic storytelling: Haaland, portrayed as having been repeatedly defeated in-game, returns for revenge — “payback time.” It was an epic, self-aware twist that played both to fans of the game and followers of Haaland’s career.
The campaign spanned cinematic trailers, social teasers, influencer activations, and — most importantly — in-game integration. Haaland wasn't just featured in the marketing; he became a usable hero inside the app, merging brand and gameplay in a way few collaborations ever do. The launch film, packed with game lore and Haaland’s signature deadpan intensity, generated buzz across gaming, sports, and mainstream media.
- Massive player re-engagement driven by the in-game event
- High social engagement and virality across TikTok, Instagram, and X
- Global media coverage reaching both gaming and sports outlets
- A campaign that turned Clash of Clans into a cultural talking point 11 years after launch
By casting a global sports icon not just as a face, but as a playable character, Clash of Clans delivered a fresh kind of brand partnership — one that felt earned, immersive, and wildly entertaining.
AWARDS
Cannes Lions 2025
- Entertainment For Sport Grand Prix
https://www.llllitl.fr/2025/06/cannes-lions-2025-grand-prix/
CREDITS
Brand: Clash of Clans (Supercell), USA.
CMO (Supercell): Fernanda Romano
Head of Global Live Games Marketing: Iwo Zakowski
Clash of Clans Marketing Lead: Anna Bouveng
Growth/Content Marketing: David Edwards
Marketing Producer: Yuri Yoshimura
Product Marketing Manager: Ana Martins
PR Manager: Jonathan Howard
Agency: DAVID New York
Global Chief Creative Officer: Pancho Cassis
Chief Creative Officer: André Toledo
Creative Directors: Sébastien Rouvière, Pedro Sattin, Linus Oura
Associate Creative Director: Guilherme Pinheiro
Global CCO (North America): Daniel Lobaton
Executive Producers: Natasha Louckevitch, Nicole Duncan
Producers: Emily Mules, Carys Evans
Production Managers: Jamie Tarr, Lyndsey Shingler
Director: Olly Reid
Director of Photography: Jack Maddison
1st ADs: Terry McShane, Magnus Wessel Waal
1st ACs: Alex Coleborn, Kristoffer Aamot, Lisa Wiik
Stills Photographer: Madeleine Penfold
Global CSO: Paula Vampre
Strategists: Brooklyn Carey, James Mitchell
Group Account Director: Brett Niebling
Account Supervisor: Irene León
COO: Sylvia Panico
Head of Media & Ops: Kasim Zorlu
Director of Business Affairs: Barbara Karalis
Business Affairs Manager: Catalina Peña
Global PR Director: Sandra Azedo
Production Company: Axis Studios & Founder Creative
CG Supervisor: John Huikku
Lead Layout Artist: Summer Kou
Lead Character Artist: Ekaterina Pushkarova
Lead Environment Artist: Jessica Cheung
Lead CFX Artist: Coline Della Siega
Lead FX Artist: Spike Meesters
VFX Executive Producer: Nicolas Drew
VFX Producer: Jessica Phillips
VFX Supervisor: Julian Martin‑Samos
Music & Sound Design: Butter Music & Sound
CCO (Butter): Andrew Sherman
ECD (Butter): Dan Zank
Executive Producer: Renée Massé
Composer & Arranger: Coke Youngblood
Audio Post Director: Dave Wolfe
Sound Design & Mix: Geoff Strasser
To mark the 11th anniversary of Clash of Clans, Supercell made a bold move: they introduced football superstar Erling Haaland as a fully playable in-game character — a first in the game's history. The campaign, titled “Haaland Payback Time,” blurred the lines between sport, gaming, and pop culture, turning one of the world’s most recognized athletes into a digital barbarian.
Clash of Clans is a game built on loyalty, comebacks, and epic battles — themes that mirror the drama of professional sports. Erling Haaland, known for his relentless style and larger-than-life presence, embodied those same traits, making him the perfect real-world hero to enter the virtual battlefield.
What if one of football’s fiercest strikers became a warrior in Clash of Clans? The campaign kicked off with cinematic storytelling: Haaland, portrayed as having been repeatedly defeated in-game, returns for revenge — “payback time.” It was an epic, self-aware twist that played both to fans of the game and followers of Haaland’s career.
The campaign spanned cinematic trailers, social teasers, influencer activations, and — most importantly — in-game integration. Haaland wasn't just featured in the marketing; he became a usable hero inside the app, merging brand and gameplay in a way few collaborations ever do. The launch film, packed with game lore and Haaland’s signature deadpan intensity, generated buzz across gaming, sports, and mainstream media.
- Massive player re-engagement driven by the in-game event
- High social engagement and virality across TikTok, Instagram, and X
- Global media coverage reaching both gaming and sports outlets
- A campaign that turned Clash of Clans into a cultural talking point 11 years after launch
By casting a global sports icon not just as a face, but as a playable character, Clash of Clans delivered a fresh kind of brand partnership — one that felt earned, immersive, and wildly entertaining.
AWARDS
Cannes Lions 2025
- Entertainment For Sport Grand Prix
https://www.llllitl.fr/2025/06/cannes-lions-2025-grand-prix/
CREDITS
Brand: Clash of Clans (Supercell), USA.
CMO (Supercell): Fernanda Romano
Head of Global Live Games Marketing: Iwo Zakowski
Clash of Clans Marketing Lead: Anna Bouveng
Growth/Content Marketing: David Edwards
Marketing Producer: Yuri Yoshimura
Product Marketing Manager: Ana Martins
PR Manager: Jonathan Howard
Agency: DAVID New York
Global Chief Creative Officer: Pancho Cassis
Chief Creative Officer: André Toledo
Creative Directors: Sébastien Rouvière, Pedro Sattin, Linus Oura
Associate Creative Director: Guilherme Pinheiro
Global CCO (North America): Daniel Lobaton
Executive Producers: Natasha Louckevitch, Nicole Duncan
Producers: Emily Mules, Carys Evans
Production Managers: Jamie Tarr, Lyndsey Shingler
Director: Olly Reid
Director of Photography: Jack Maddison
1st ADs: Terry McShane, Magnus Wessel Waal
1st ACs: Alex Coleborn, Kristoffer Aamot, Lisa Wiik
Stills Photographer: Madeleine Penfold
Global CSO: Paula Vampre
Strategists: Brooklyn Carey, James Mitchell
Group Account Director: Brett Niebling
Account Supervisor: Irene León
COO: Sylvia Panico
Head of Media & Ops: Kasim Zorlu
Director of Business Affairs: Barbara Karalis
Business Affairs Manager: Catalina Peña
Global PR Director: Sandra Azedo
Production Company: Axis Studios & Founder Creative
CG Supervisor: John Huikku
Lead Layout Artist: Summer Kou
Lead Character Artist: Ekaterina Pushkarova
Lead Environment Artist: Jessica Cheung
Lead CFX Artist: Coline Della Siega
Lead FX Artist: Spike Meesters
VFX Executive Producer: Nicolas Drew
VFX Producer: Jessica Phillips
VFX Supervisor: Julian Martin‑Samos
Music & Sound Design: Butter Music & Sound
CCO (Butter): Andrew Sherman
ECD (Butter): Dan Zank
Executive Producer: Renée Massé
Composer & Arranger: Coke Youngblood
Audio Post Director: Dave Wolfe
Sound Design & Mix: Geoff Strasser
