Meet Costa Rican Bianca Rodríguez Llamas, who conquered the social media at Inter Miami with Lionel Messi

in my heart inter miami football club,A Tica/Argentina Stand out as a larger-than-life character and compete against the best football players in the world, Lionel Messi.

The standout, whose roots in the sport date back to Costa Rica, have not only become an integral part of the club, but also play a vital role in the digital strategy of celebrating and sharing the team’s wins, especially Messi’s epic Achievement.

LA REPÚBLICA EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Bianca Rodriguez Llamas, Digital Director, Inter Miami FCwhich tells us what it means to plan the Argentine star’s arrival at the club, among other figures.

interview

Bianca Rodriguez Lamas

Digital Director, Inter Miami Football Club

How have you and your team used the Ballon d’Or to create impactful content for Inter Miami FC’s social channels?

As we celebrate the team’s eighth win, we begin taking fans on an exciting journey. golden globe award This is a historic moment for our players, our club and the league.

Our content strategy focuses on sharing exclusive behind-the-scenes moments, including a trip to Paris, live coverage from the theater and special tributes to our club’s players. One of our creative highlights was the animated transformation of the Inter Miami crest, turning it into a tribute to Messi.

The animation shows our heron evolving into a goat and our club name changing to “Congratulations Messi”.

We then sent an invitation to fans, encouraging them to join the celebrations by sending us photos of themselves holding “305”, which symbolizes the city of Miami and Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or. Our main goal is to pay tribute to Messi and create engaging content that truly reflects this extraordinary achievement, but the celebrations don’t end there. We made sure to give him a warm welcome home and capture unforgettable moments that Messi and our players will cherish forever.

Additionally, with our strong commitment to the Academy and inspiring the next generation of IMCF footballers, we are using the exciting global moment of Messi’s Ballon d’Or win to honor our Club’s ‘Dream of Liberty’ pillar. We offer our academy players the unique opportunity to personally welcome Messi when he returns to the club from Paris and take part in the celebrations and see the trophy first-hand.Of course, we captured this special moment and shared it on our channel, resulting in extensive coverage from major national and international media outlets, such as 433. B/R Football and ESPN FC, Just to name a few.

Finally, knowing the importance of this achievement for our city and league, we would like to celebrate it by hosting an exhibition match “Noche d’Or” named after him in our home. This will be another exciting and competitive opportunity to express our admiration and gratitude while also using this game to begin preparations for 2024 and look forward to building on last season and achieving even more success in the future , and of course, continue to capture these special moments and share them with the world.

What were your thoughts when you first learned that the best player in history was going to play for Miami? It must be huge and exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. How do you deal with the high expectations surrounding the signing of Leo Messi?

From an early age, my unwavering passion for the sport motivated me to pursue a career in this field. I’m what you would call a “fan from the cradle.” I grew up in an Argentinian family and a passion for football was ingrained in me growing up, thanks in large part to my father’s love for the game. I distinctly remember watching Argentina play with my dad as a kid and him saying, “Remember his name.”

The months went by and it felt like I was in a dream, but I also felt like I had been preparing for this moment my whole life. The task of orchestrating the acquisition of the best player in the world (who also happens to be my childhood idol) comes with huge demands and high expectations. I approach it with passion, incredible admiration and creativity. Our goal was to create a campaign that was both simple and profound, reflecting the importance of this signature while staying true to the true nature of the player himself. The central concept of the campaign is to confirm rumors and speculation with a resounding “yes”. A particularly appreciated aspect of the event was the reinterpretation of the classic World Cup anthem “Boys”, which played a key role in the presentation. Working with my colleague Rafael Cabrera to write the lyrics for this version was an experience that I will definitely cherish for the rest of my life.

A successful digital marketing campaign requires careful planning and execution. Can you share the key aspects that stood out when planning a digital marketing strategy for Messi’s arrival?

In this age of social media, keeping this news a secret was no easy task. We’ve experienced incredible speculation, leaks and reports, which is to be expected in the midst of a summer and the biggest global transfer in MLS history, but this is undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges we’ve ever faced. We had a dedicated small team working on this project and we had to ensure that every step was planned with a high degree of precision and intention, especially when creating content around the announcement.

Lead the digital direction of soccer teams in the competitive and growing Major League Soccer (MLS), providing continued growth opportunities. What are the main lessons you learned throughout the process?

Most importantly, I’ve learned to stay agile and adaptable as the digital world continues to evolve. Being able to quickly adapt to new technologies, trends, strategies and platforms is key to staying relevant and effective.

It’s also important to create high-quality, engaging content that captures the essence of the team and resonates with our fans. We want to position our players as more than just athletes and really allow fans to go behind the scenes and get to know them off the court. Finally, always maintain a fan-centered attitude; we always aspire to foster a sense of community among our fans, a “family,” a nickname for which we aspire to be loyal.

Managing the digital presence of a large sports franchise involves a dynamic and ever-changing environment. How do you stay ahead of emerging digital trends and technologies to maintain a competitive advantage?

Some of the strategies I use to help myself stay on top of emerging trends and technologies include investing time and resources to continually educate myself, using data analytics to gain insights into fan behavior and preferences, and paying close attention to emerging trends across platforms and social networks.

In the world of sports, fan engagement is crucial. Can you discuss some innovative ways to facilitate two-way communication between clubs and their fans through digital channels?

As a club dedicated to our fans, we continually strive to build meaningful connections with our loyal fans. A special and innovative digital campaign launched this year is the Fans of the Match campaign. Similar to gamers, this activation is a way to celebrate the most passionate and engaged fans at every home game. Selected fans will have an exceptional post-match experience as we invite them to the stadium, provide them with team jerseys and an exclusive opportunity to meet some of our players.

Finally, as a digital expert in the sports industry, what advice would you give to aspiring digital directors looking to excel in similar roles, particularly within the context of sports franchises and clubs?

A true passion for sport may be your greatest asset on this journey. Breaking into the sports industry is not easy, but with the right curiosity, dedication and a good network, you can carve a path in the right direction.