Reto Rexona - World Cup 2022

The Challenge

Rexona wanted to create an unforgettable World Cup campaign, blending physical and digital worlds to engage fans in a way that resonated with their love of soccer. The RoboKeeper—a robot goalkeeper equipped with computer vision capable of stopping the fastest shots—was the centerpiece of the campaign. However, not everyone could visit RoboKeeper in person, so we faced the challenge of bringing this exciting interaction to fans everywhere.

The RoboKeeper stretched mid-dive to deflect a shot, a glowing blue laser triangle filling the net behind it — Match night: the RoboKeeper making saves

The robot goalkeeper waiting on the line with arms raised as a ball flies toward the goal — Match night: the RoboKeeper making saves

The Solution

We launched Reto Rexona, an immersive online experience that let users take penalty shots right from their homes. Leveraging machine learning and a pre-trained model from Google’s TensorFlow suite, we used device cameras to track participants' body movements, accurately determining the direction and intensity of their virtual shots.

The Result

A gamified experience that simulated the challenge of facing RoboKeeper, complete with dynamic feedback and an engaging interface. Whether using a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, fans could interact with the RoboKeeper in real time, creating an exciting and inclusive way to participate in the World Cup.

Three stacked frames of the ball-launching rig: two rubber wheels on an aluminum frame firing a soccer ball toward the goal — Inside the rig: ball launcher hardware and pose-estimation pipeline

Close-up between the launcher wheels as the ball exits toward the robot goalkeeper in the background — Inside the rig: ball launcher hardware and pose-estimation pipeline

impact

The campaign brought the magic of the World Cup into the homes of hundreds of thousands of fans, solidifying Rexona’s reputation as an innovative and forward-thinking brand. It also demonstrated the power of combining sports, technology, and storytelling to create meaningful digital experiences.

Dense montage of dozens of fans filmed at home, each one overlaid with a cyan pose-estimation skeleton as training data for the model — Impact montage: fans training the RoboKeeper's vision from home

Wide view of the RoboKeeper arena: the robot goalkeeper on the line inside a dark studio with spotlights, haze and artificial turf — Impact montage: fans training the RoboKeeper's vision from home

Lessons Learned

Document the project’s evolution: Storytelling is key to success. As you test hypotheses and functionalities, record clips of the process, even if they’re rough. This not only makes it easier to demonstrate how things work and the intent behind each step but also helps build a narrative that generates excitement and trust. Clients appreciate seeing continuous progress and a clear story that reflects the project’s development in an engaging and professional way.
Test before you develop: Before diving into detailed coding for a specific feature, create small prototypes to test whether the main components align with the overall vision under various scenarios, such as different internet speeds or low-end devices. As developers, we typically have access to high-speed internet and powerful devices, but the users we aim to serve often face entirely different conditions, and we must design with their realities in mind.
Involve influencers early: When influencers are part of a campaign, it’s crucial to integrate them in the early stages so they can fully understand the project’s goals and purpose. Early involvement not only helps align their communication with the strategy but also provides them the opportunity to bring creative and authentic ideas that resonate with their audiences, ultimately enhancing the campaign’s impact in a meaningful way.