The solution
Saudi Arabia only opened to leisure tourism in 2019, so getting onto travelers' bucket lists was hard. In 2023 the world's press was obsessing over one question: where would Messi go next, with his PSG contract expiring and Ronaldo already playing in Saudi.
Saudi Tourism Authority, which already had Messi under contract as a tourism ambassador, invited him and his family to visit during the season. He accepted, missed a Monday training session after a defeat, and PSG suspended him for two weeks — triggering a global PR frenzy.
A single Visit Saudi Instagram post showing Messi enjoying the country's destinations rode the news cycle. Sports outlets worldwide ran images of him sightseeing in Saudi for days — effectively a weeklong tourism campaign that STA did not pay media for.
The work, titled 'The Unauthorized Trip' by agency ‿ and us Dubai, won the Entertainment Grand Prix at Dubai Lynx 2024 plus a Cannes Silver and multiple other metals.
What it achieved
Let the world's biggest star get 'caught' vacationing in Saudi
Why it worked
The audience was pre-assembled: transfer speculation meant every sports desk was already on Messi watch.
A suspension and apology made the trip feel candid, not sponsored — earned media beats bought media in credibility.
STA already paid Messi as ambassador, so the incremental media cost was essentially zero.
One authentic Instagram post gave news outlets the images they needed to run the story themselves.
What can be applied
When the world is already watching a story, place your brand inside it as a prop — the controversy writes the reach you could never afford to buy.
Aftermath
Messi apologized to PSG in a video in May 2023, finished the season and moved to Inter Miami. The campaign swept awards: Dubai Lynx 2024 Entertainment Grand Prix, Gold and two Silvers, a Cannes Silver with six shortlists, and a Drum Awards Gold.
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