William Hill launches Stripped football podcast

William Hill has launched its first-ever foray into publishing with the creation of a football podcast  called ‘Stripped’, developed in partnership with Wavemaker and Platform Media.

Hosted by digital creator and football personality, Specs Gonzalez, with YouTuber David Vujanic (Vuj) as co-host, the podcast will provide a platform for William Hill to engage with, and capture the attention of, football fans who are not only interested in the aesthetics of the game but also in the culture surrounding it – from fashion and music, to gaming and food.

The podcast will use the concept of vintage football strips, and the nostalgia, iconic moments and special memories associated with them, to produce fresh, shareable and content. Each week, a different celebrity guest will join Specs and Vuj to explore key happenings in the football fixtures calendar and discuss the wider culture surrounding the game. Each episode will be shaped by the guests’ chosen shirts, for example: the first one – the shirt that made them fall in love with the game; the haunted one – the shirt they wouldn’t or couldn’t wear; the unforgettable one – the shirt that opens the door to great football movement and standout seasons; the away one – a gateway to conversations around fashion, culture and the magic of away days; and finally the name one – if you could only have one player’s name on a shirt forever, whose would it be and why? The podcast will use football as the vehicle to unearthing stories that are funny, nostalgic and personal to the guests.

Distributed across William Hill’s social channels, episode one of Stripped launches today, Thursday 4 August and be available across all major audio platforms and YouTube video.

“We are under no illusion that we have to work hard to be known as a credible brand for football fans,” said Liam Mckee, Director of Media, Sponsorship & UK Creative at William Hill. “We needed a campaign that not only captured their attention but proves to football fans – old and new – that we have a genuine passion for the beautiful game and the culture surrounding it. This was not an easy task given that a traditional approach would not work for this particular audience. Our Stripped podcast was the ideal solution. It gives us the ability to use the trusted relationships of both hosts and talent to connect with some of the most diehard fans in the sport.”