The news: Bank of America (BofA) and Complex have launched “The Art of Soccer,” a multi-platform video marketing campaign built around soccer as a cultural force rather than just a sport, per a press release.

Zoom in: The campaign combines documentary storytelling, creator-designed fashion, and investment in youth soccer. At its core is the question "What Would You Like the Power to Do?"—BofA’s overarching marketing message that highlights how people use opportunity and support to make a positive impact.

The Art of Soccer brings that idea to life through cinematic short films featuring designer Colm Dillane (KidSuper) and actress Xochitl Gomez, each reflecting on how soccer has shaped their lives. Dillane's story explores the sport's influence on his creativity and community work, while Gomez's centers on family traditions and cultural identity. The films will be released on YouTube, with shorter edits distributed across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Alongside the films, Dillane and Gomez each designed a limited-edition jersey, with proceeds supporting efforts to expand youth access to soccer.

Why it matters: Rather than treating its FIFA World Cup sponsorship as a branding exercise, BofA is using it to build a broader cultural narrative. By partnering with creators whose personal stories are rooted in soccer, the brand positions itself around creativity, identity, and community instead of financial products.

The films, limited-edition jerseys, and youth soccer initiative reinforce the same message, showing how sponsorship, storytelling, and social impact can work together as a unified brand campaign, with the merchandise serving as an extension of the stories rather than the primary focus.

Implications for banks: The Art of Soccer reflects several emerging best practices in financial services video marketing highlighted by CUInsight. Rather than using video as a traditional advertisement, the campaign:

• Uses creator-led storytelling to build emotional connection before introducing products or branding
• Treats video as a multi-format content strategy—pairing long-form films on YouTube with shorter edits across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok—mirroring the distribution approach many marketers now recommend

It also illustrates how banks can extend the value of major sponsorships through original content that continues building brand affinity across channels, rather than relying on event visibility alone.

This content is part of EMARKETER’s subscription Briefings, where we pair daily updates with data and analysis from forecasts and research reports. Our Briefings prepare you to start your day informed, to provide critical insights in an important meeting, and to understand the context of what’s happening in your industry. Non-clients can click here to get a demo of our full platform and coverage.