Client
HMD Global
Role
Global Creative Director
Agency
In house
Year
2024
HMD & FCB
Human Mobile Devices (HMD) is thrilled to announce a monumental partnership with one of the world’s most iconic sports clubs—FC Barcelona! As of today, HMD is now the exclusive Global Partner and the Official Mobile Phone and Smartphone Partner of this legendary institution. This multi-year collaboration is more than just a partnership; it’s a shared journey, fueled by a passion for innovation, sustainability, and making a meaningful difference in people's lives.
From the excitement on match days to engaging with FC Barcelona’s incredible global fanbase, this partnership presents HMD with extraordinary opportunities.
The initial three-year deal, which sees Human Mobile Devices (HMD) become a Global Partner of FC Barcelona and an Official Mobile Phone Partner of FC Barcelona, is designed to raise awareness of Human Mobile Devices (HMD) – a company not yet 10 years old but already Europe’s largest manufacturer of smartphones – primarily through digital advertising opportunities at the Olympic Stadium and then at the Spotify Camp Nou when it reopens later in the season. The partnership between the two brands extends beyond football as it will cover the FC Barcelona basketball, futsal, handball and roller hockey teams too.
The Announcement film
Dropping on the Human Mobile Devices (HMD) and FC Barcelona social channels, the partnership reveal video sees Lamine Yamal’s hairdresser, Saul Peregrina, shave the world-famous FC Barcelona crest next to the Human Mobile Devices (HMD) logo in the back of the culer’s head to announce a three-year partnership deal. It also gives a sneak peek of a Human Mobile Devices smartphone, HMD Skyline in Blue Topaz. The intricate artwork took two hours to complete.
Saul Peregrina, the hairdresser to the stars, recently cut Lamine Yamal’s hair, and the La Masia graduate’s reaction video on TikTok has clocked up 7.5 million views. This time, Human Mobile Devices (HMD) put fan Iñigo in Saul’s barber seat to recreate a stunning piece of shaved art combining the two brands' logos. Sure to cause a stir on social media, the fan-led short film focuses on a young 20-something male Barca fan who, in true Catalonian style, steps into a traditional neighbourhood Barbershop to have his hair cut and talk all things football. Dressed in relaxed jeans and the new FC Barcelona home shirt, the young man shows the barber a picture as if to say, ‘This is what I want’, before the barber—Saul Peregrina—intricately gets to work with his clippers. After a series of close-up shots, the camera pans out to reveal the finished ‘do’, which shows the Human Mobile Devices (HMD) logo and FC Barcelona crest shaved into the back of the young man’s head. The barber holds up a mirror to show off his handiwork, and the young man gives a nod of approval before they both take out their HMD Skyline smartphones and take selfies to share with their friends.