CANAL+ and ML Marketing cooperate: Since August, CANAL+ has been exclusively broadcasting selected UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Conference League matches in Austria for the first time and has partnered with the international agency ML Marketing for support and promotion. This collaboration strengthens CANAL+'s strategic market positioning in the German-speaking region. The global media brand CANAL+ expanded its comprehensive streaming offering in August 2024, which includes its own app and a linear TV channel (CANAL+ Action). Since then, CANAL+ has been broadcasting selected top matches from the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Conference League live and exclusively.

To successfully market this offering and optimize the viewer experience, CANAL+ has chosen to collaborate with the sports-specialized agency ML Marketing. Since the beginning of the rights period, CANAL+ has relied on ML Marketing's expertise to digitally support the exclusive broadcast of UEFA matches and maximize the viewer experience. ML Marketing assumes the role of lead agency, responsible for the social media strategy, managing all channels, producing (LIVE) content, and community management for CANAL+.

The strategic social media approach goes beyond just brand awareness and aims to create an innovative bridge between the classic TV product "LIVE Football" and digital channels. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and X are managed and curated by ML Marketing 365 days a year. To stand out from competitors, the guiding principle "Content for fans, not for nerds" is followed. Fans are given a closer look behind the scenes by allowing experts and presenters to share exclusive insights via their smartphones, participate in trends, and answer user questions. Additionally, the focus on vertical content is enhanced through collaboration with talented and renowned content creators. In the first six months, for example, collaborations were carried out with football TikTok star and Adidas ambassador Pascal Gurk (3.3 million followers) to create live stadium content during UEFA Champions League games and football challenges with professional club players, reaching up to six million views per video.

Building on the positive insights and results from the first six months, the strategy will be intensified and further developed in 2025.

Martijn van Hout, Country Manager DACH CANAL+, on the partnership: "At CANAL+ Group, we already have extensive experience with live sports broadcasting. Thanks to our Head of Sports, Thomas Trukesitz, and his team, we've succeeded in bringing innovative and high-quality programming to the screens of our viewers in Austria. With ML Marketing, we've found a partner who can optimally transport our passion for football to social media."

Viktoria Geresi, COO of ML Marketing, says: "We are not only pleased about the trust of such a renowned international media brand as CANAL+, but especially about the excellent human and professional collaboration with the people behind the brand. Our goal is not only to achieve KPIs, but also to create bold showcase projects."

Photo (l. to r.): Michael Türl (Sports Content Manager CANAL+), Martijn van Hout (Country Manager DACH CANAL+), Barbara Suler (Head of Digital Austria CANAL+), Viktoria Geresi (COO ML Marketing), Alexander Haselbauer (CPIO ML Marketing), Michael Litschka (CEO ML Marketing).