Socceroos vs a bunch of wild animals: Optus to kick off major World Cup campaign on May 2
M&C Saatchi, Sydney celebrates Optus' involvement with Australian football with a glimpse within the Socceroo's secret training camp in the first stage of a major campaign timed to launch just before the 2010 FIFA World Cup.The campaign is spearheaded by a commercial featuring Socceroos Tim Cahill and Lucas Neill taking on their toughest opponents yet - a team of wild animals.
VIEW THE COMMERCIAL - LOW RES
VIEW THE COMMERCIAL - HI RES
VIEW THE MAKING OF THE AD VIDEO
Filmed in South Africa and Australia by renowned French Director
Thierry Poiraud and posted by BUF, Paris - the wizards behind such
films as 'Avatar' and 'Batman,' the commercial took over two hundred
people from three continents to finish.
Working closely with the director, Oscar-Winning Australian cinematographer of 'Lord of the Rings,' Andrew Lesnie created a unique backlit pitch, lit only by the headlights of cars and trucks.
"On paper, the commercial seemed impossible to film," says M&C Saatchi executive creative director Ben Welsh. "The Socceroos, backlit, playing football against a team of incredibly dangerous animals. That's why we were so lucky to gather together some truly talented individuals who literally didn't stop working until the spot was not only great but utterly believable."
Optus are now one of the biggest supporters of Australia's most played sport, from young grass-roots players all the way to the national squad, and, as mobile broadcaster of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, they'll be streaming each and every game to football fans across Australia.
"I remember seeing 'Kick It' years ago," says writer Andy Flemming. "It was the first ad that reminded me why I loved football. We wanted to make a landmark football ad, a celebration of the game and how far it's come in Australia."
The animal team comprised of real animals filmed in South Africa, mixed with photorealistic animals painstakingly created in Paris. Over a period of three months, their entire skeletons and muscle groups were built until they not only looked completely real, they moved within realistic natural limitations.
Michael Smith, Optus Corporate Marketing Director said: "We've created a truly world class advertisement which we feel will capture the imaginations of Australian football fans and the broader public. This groundbreaking commercial highlights our investment in football as a platform to connect with our customers with something they feel passionately about."
The campaign includes spectacular print and outdoor posters and a fully interactive website, allowing visitors to 'break in' to the training camp themselves.
The campaign breaks on May 2.
CREATIVE
Ben Welsh (Executive Creative Director)
Andy Flemming (Writer and Creative Group Head)
Paul Carpenter (Art Director and Creative Group Head)
ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR
Nick Russo (Group Account Director)
Tara Goh (Account Director)
DIGITAL ACCT SUPERVISOR
Karlee Weatherstone (Digital Account Manager)
PLANNER
Colin Jowell and Hally Starr
AGENCY PRODUCER
Loren August (TV Producer)
PRODUCTION COMPANY
The Feds Australia, Paranoid
DIRECTOR
Thierry Poiraud
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Working closely with the director, Oscar-Winning Australian cinematographer of 'Lord of the Rings,' Andrew Lesnie created a unique backlit pitch, lit only by the headlights of cars and trucks.
"On paper, the commercial seemed impossible to film," says M&C Saatchi executive creative director Ben Welsh. "The Socceroos, backlit, playing football against a team of incredibly dangerous animals. That's why we were so lucky to gather together some truly talented individuals who literally didn't stop working until the spot was not only great but utterly believable."
Optus are now one of the biggest supporters of Australia's most played sport, from young grass-roots players all the way to the national squad, and, as mobile broadcaster of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, they'll be streaming each and every game to football fans across Australia.
"I remember seeing 'Kick It' years ago," says writer Andy Flemming. "It was the first ad that reminded me why I loved football. We wanted to make a landmark football ad, a celebration of the game and how far it's come in Australia."
The animal team comprised of real animals filmed in South Africa, mixed with photorealistic animals painstakingly created in Paris. Over a period of three months, their entire skeletons and muscle groups were built until they not only looked completely real, they moved within realistic natural limitations.
Michael Smith, Optus Corporate Marketing Director said: "We've created a truly world class advertisement which we feel will capture the imaginations of Australian football fans and the broader public. This groundbreaking commercial highlights our investment in football as a platform to connect with our customers with something they feel passionately about."
The campaign includes spectacular print and outdoor posters and a fully interactive website, allowing visitors to 'break in' to the training camp themselves.
The campaign breaks on May 2.
CREATIVE
Ben Welsh (Executive Creative Director)
Andy Flemming (Writer and Creative Group Head)
Paul Carpenter (Art Director and Creative Group Head)
ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR
Nick Russo (Group Account Director)
Tara Goh (Account Director)
DIGITAL ACCT SUPERVISOR
Karlee Weatherstone (Digital Account Manager)
PLANNER
Colin Jowell and Hally Starr
AGENCY PRODUCER
Loren August (TV Producer)
PRODUCTION COMPANY
The Feds Australia, Paranoid
DIRECTOR
Thierry Poiraud
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Karen Watson
PRODUCER
Alex Richardot
POST PRODUCTION/SOUND MIX:
BUF, Paris
Claude Letessier, Los Angeles & NOISE Glebe.
EDITOR
Richard Learoyd
SOUND
Claude Letessier, Noise
Alex Richardot
POST PRODUCTION/SOUND MIX:
BUF, Paris
Claude Letessier, Los Angeles & NOISE Glebe.
EDITOR
Richard Learoyd
SOUND
Claude Letessier, Noise
Awesome.
Degree of difficulty: 100%.
Great work for a very, very tough category.
Well done.
This ad has been in the making for a year by the boys. Good on them.
Looks great.
A huge production for a big, big company. Points for that.
Wicked, gave me goosebumps.
Love the chomp of the croc goalkeeper...
I'm guessing that was one of those rarely seen Tasmanian panthas?
That was really nicely put together. Congrats. I work on, shall we say, a 'competitor' and they wouldn't do anything like this. Hopefully this will inspire them a bit. Jesus, we've tried.
Very nice indeed.
Well done.
Jealous.
love it, really amazing post and what an achievement for a telecoms company, i bet it was hard work but it's seamless.
Two of the nicest blokes in advertising. Onya carpo and Flemming!
It's in a league of its own.
i thought it was a Nike ad but that's not a bad thing I suppose
This is not a landmark football ad.
really like it. beautiful treatment and awesome sound. good ad.
Great ad, especially for a client like Optus.
But 'groundbreaking'? Bares way too much of a resemblance to Nike 'Good vs Evil' to be considered a true original or classic. And the payoff felt a little flat somehow...
Still, who wouldn't have it on the reel?
WOW, really well done.
It's a shame there's not an award category for great work for difficult clients.
I'd like to see it pick up at the award shows, I'd like to see it increase brand loyalty, I'd like to see it convert customers, and most unusually for a commercial, I'd like to see it again.
Well done guys.
love it. dont like the kid.
Erm. What happens to the ball when it goes into the net? It just seems to go through it. The ball doesn't hit the back of the net. The net doesn't move . I know a lot of Refs who wouldn't give that.
Still think the type needs work.
Dark stuff for Optus, well done on getting it made, it's a cracker.
Though I have to say; putting our socceroos in harm's way with all those animals so close to the world cup is a questionable call on Soccer Australia's part.
That said, the spots great - congrats to all involved.
It's definitely a landmark football ad for here. Most of the others have been pretty dire.
Wonder if the client asked for a music track to be put over the top? I guess the dark vibe would have been a big fight.
Well fought.
Tim Cahill's reel is brilliant. Weet-Bix and now this. Next stop Hollywood.
I love this ad. And now I love Optus. Job done.
ps. @4.50...you're joking right? If not I have to break it to you now, there's no such thing as Santa. It's your mum and dad. Sorry.
If I'd made this for Nike, I'd be happy.
If I'd made this for Optus, I'd be fucking stoked.
Given the starting point for any Optus ad is the corny, inherited mandatory of animals, you have to give all involved a lot of credit for both this and the whalesong spot which preceded it.
Very well done indeed. Congratulations to the Director, film crew, animators, agency and all involved for producing what is truly an amazing piece of cinema. Australia should be proud of this work. And no I don't work at M&C, but at a competitor agency.
Inspiring stuff.
It's good. But not brilliant!
Not bad for Optus at all.
Better than most Fifa World Cup sponsorship stuff I've seen.
Well done M&C.
The lighting's awesome, then again, that's Andrew Lesnie for you.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPmESnXI7Vw
Best ad I've seen on here for a long while.
Nice one lads.
Looks very international, very, very well made and makes the Socceroos actually look fucking impressive.
Better than Cahill eating a bowl of cereal whilst doing headers!
looks awesome and best optus ad ever by a mile
Loved it 99.9%... but not 100% tight.
1. . SoccerROOOOS ... where are the kangaroos? No mention. No need? Maybe.
2. World Cup Africa. No mention. No need? Maybe.
3. Seemed familiar - man versus hard stuff eg AFL
But great stuff.
Kangaroos aren't found in Africa, so well done for looking like a muppet.
Finally the Optus animal direction pays off! Well done to everyone who had a hand in this, it is a great ad! I just hope they spent all the budget on the ad so the media agency doesn't over run it during the World Cup.
That's a pretty impressive list of talent on that release.
Bastards.
Back to my $150,000 TVC. Rejected for the third time.
Great to see a commercial as good as this for a client as tough as that.
Well done M&C.
Well done boys. Good job on a difficult brief. The cheetah should have been wearing an Italian jumper?
haha. I hope those dudes at Telstra are kicking themselves.
Jesus. That is awesome.
Beautifully directed. Pretty seamless.
Jealous as all poos.
Wow! I can’t stand soccer but I gotta say, I don’t remember the last time watching an ad has given me speed tingles down the back of my neck. It is so well made. The lighting, the darkness, the pace, the craft. I mean, here’s one of those rare spots that excites and commands your attention from start to finish. Makes you want to take off your smart arse blogging hat for a moment and give credit where it’s due. This is sure to impress the punters, the kids and even hardened ad cynics. And, because it’s not stuck in our insular Aussie vernacular, you can see this holding its own alongside quirky international work on any World’s Best Ads type shows. In other words, it’s a ‘world ad’. A nice way to approach the ‘world game’.
Great but... - YOU ARE A KNOB-END!
This will never win an award because it's not good. Did anyone see the Rugby ads for the SA world cup. They were the same! They weren't good either.
Jesus people - how are your low expectations going for you? If this was from any other country you'd pay it out as a generic, expected droll nothing.
Did Nike get the design for this years jersey from clip art? I know it's recycled plastic bottles, super lightweight and blah blah blah, but it looks really lame.
Nice ad.
Wish I'd done it.
Would the owner of the jeep: license plate whatever whatever, please return to your vehicle. You've left your lights on.
a bit like steven spielberg on holiday.
Between the CGI animals and the professional soccer players, the worst acting happened from the only actor: the kid.
Hate to sound pedantic but it soured a bloody good ad for me.
(Never thought I'd say this, but) they've forced a kid into an ad full of animals!
Really pleased they didn't use a well known track and went dark.
Great.
Can't argue with the production values, it looks nice. But a match up of good vs bad/ hidden training ground is not exactly ground breaking for a soceer ad. And kind of a first thought given that being an Optus ad it has to feature animals.
But it does look good - I like the crocs.
Yip, really good. So isn't this the perfect time to end the animals campaign on a high note and do something else before Optus lapses back into more lame animal ads?
Good ad. Especially when the animals walk back after the goal.
Would've been even better without the cheesey kid and even cheesier Lucas Neill acting.
Personally, I would have loved to seen an homage to Bedknobs and Broomsticks where they recreated the football game in lo-fi 2D animation with live action Socceroos.
I think the key point here is that they did this for a Telco, not Adidas or Nike.
So, the fact they managed to get something Nike would run out there - that's huge, and kudos. It looks amazing.
FIFA Jumanji.
Nice spot. Yet, I am really sorry not to have seen this directed by an Australian director, especially for the world cup. We really have zero loyalty. Its shameful.
THis is an average script obviously executed. It has none of the subtleties that make great work like Pure Waters great. I assume that it will be forgotten in a week.
Optus animals are usually nice and cute and designed to make us say 'yes'.
Now they are trying to kill our national soccer team.
Maybe in the next Optus commercial, all those aggro animals will get off the roids, go into rehab and all will be cute again.
But who gives a fuck. Clearly nobody. Nice commercial.
Hey 4:21
Done anything good recently?
Boags was awesome. Nobody's denying that.
But come on, beer clients insist on great work.
If you can get out something like this for an Optus, a bank or a Nestle - you're doing pretty well.
So give 'em a break. This is really great.
Optus called me the other day, wanting to know if I'd like to hear about their broadband service. I was a little rude and regretted my abrupt words moments after I'd unceremoniously hung up. It's ads like this that make me realise I was perfectly within reason to be rude and hang up on them.
It's better than the usual Optus fodder, but really? All that money, all that time and all that effort? All those conversations and meetings and stressful nights? Not worth it.
Overall: C
Lovely ad, think the kid with the phone was a bit unnecessary, but other than that beautifully shot and a nice thought. Well done to all those involved.
Well done Andy. Love everything except the kid, but I assume that wasn't your choice.
Well done.
Cheers
Doddsy
This is a great spot, but............Can someone please explain to me though why an Australian sports team has been used for an Australian client but 99% of it was created overseas?
Are we really considered that shit that we have to outsource everything half decent?
Any chance any time soon of having a local team trusted with a local campaign like this???
Maybe we should follow Optus's lead and outsource ALL of our commercials to India.
Love the spot but would be more proud if we'd actually done it!
JWT London - HSBC "Lions"
Not the same, similar, well not similar, the same
Whatever boys...looks amazing and reminds me why you blokes love watching football. Well done Andy and Paul.
Vodafone 'Fold' is awesome - last time I looked Vodafone was a Telco - so what's your excuse now?
Well done Andy! Bloody great.
I have to say, I rarely see ads I wish I'd done.
Boags was one. This is another.
Very, very well played boys.
I think that goalie croc is my ex-missus! But then again, not too many balls got past her.
Fucking great editing! Well done the Learoyd!
Who's the kid? He looks familiar.
Thorpe thinks this ad is phully sick.
Best ad ever. I wish the socceroos would play as well as these animals. Fingers crossed for tonight's game. Will be praying for them.