Cris-Sal Uses Live Radio to Jinx Ecuador’s Rivals in 'Unlucky Mentions'
In sports, few things are feared more than a commentator’s praise seconds before a key play. In Latin American culture, this is known as a jinx - or as many call it in Ecuador, 'salting' a play. Cris-Sal, a brand that literally is salt, leaned into this superstition and launched Unlucky Mentions - a campaign that transformed praise into a curse for Ecuador’s rivals.
To do this, Cris-Sal teamed up with the country’s top sports commentators and integrated carefully crafted jinxes into their live narrations. From football and MMA to the Olympics and more, every rival of Ecuador was strategically 'salted' during crucial matches.
In the World Cup qualifiers, Colombia’s national team was hit with a now-infamous mention: “Get ready to shout goal. Because the Colombians will surely score against Ecuador.” Minutes later, they missed a clear shot and lost the match. In UFC, it happened again: “If there’s someone you can’t knock down, it’s the American fighter Magny. His punches NEVER miss.” Magny went on to lose the fight against Ecuadorian Michael Morales. Even in the 2024 Olympic Games, the Spanish racewalker was praised as a guaranteed winner - only to lose to Ecuador’s representative.
Across the year, over 100 unlucky mentions were broadcast across 14 different sports, amplifying the superstition and making Cris-Sal a cultural accomplice in Ecuador’s historic sports victories.
“We didn’t just embrace a superstition - we weaponised it,” said Melissa Garcia, part of the creative behind the campaign. “This wasn’t just about cheering for Ecuador. It was about turning the power of salt into a playful yet powerful tool.”
The campaign reached millions through live broadcasts, social media, and sports coverage, generating a 92% positive sentiment online and over +200% earned media mentions - proving that sometimes, a little salt can go a long way.
And for Ecuador, 2024 became the most successful year in its sporting history.
Lucky? Maybe.
Salty? Definitely.
