Sport spots document obsessive Singapore athletes

Client: Sport Singapore

Agency: Ogilvy & Mather Singapore

Market: Singapore and Southeast Asia

Title: 'Celebrate the extraordinary'

Campaign scope: Nine web films/TVCs (the window above will cycle through three plus a 'making of' video), as well as out-of-home and social media.

Details: The films, which feature Singaporean stars in sports including Silat, rugby, swimming, basketball, table tennis and athletics, will be released throughout May and will run until the end of the SEA Games, which take place from 5 to 16 June in Singapore. The films are directed by Tony Kaye, best known for American History X.

Press release quotes:

Eugene Cheong, chief creative officer, Ogilvy & Mather Singapore:

Singapore has a shorter than short supply of heroes, especially when it comes to sports stars. That, in a nutshell, is the brief and objective of Sport Singapore’s SEA Games campaign—using the platform of the 28th SEA Games to lionize our athletes. It is thrilling to see their superhuman qualities captured so powerfully through Tony Kaye’s directorial vision.

Toh Boon Yi, chief of strategic development and marketing group, Sport Singapore. 

When people watch these films, they will really get a sense of not only the phenomenal physical abilities of the athletes, but also their extraordinary sacrifice and devotion. These local heroes deserve our support and we hope to see our stadiums and stands filled with Singaporeans cheering as One Team Singapore.

Campaign Asia Pacific's comments: As sports fans we love the message here, which is best expressed in the table tennis spot featuring Isabelle Li: "Before you can outplay them, you have to outwork them." Too often sports commentary focuses on the natural abilities of elite athletes, and that is undeniable part of their success. But an appreciation of the ridiculous amount of repetition top athletes put into honing and maintaining their strength, agility and precision only deepens one's appreciation of their glorious feats.

CREDITS

Client: Sport Singapore
Brief: Rally Singaporeans in support of the SEA Games
Creative agency: Ogilvy & Mather Singapore
Chief Creative Officer: Eugene Cheong
Creative Directors: Troy Lim, Jon Loke
Senior Copywriter: Adrian Yeap
Copywriter: Nicholas Lim
Senior Art Director: David Stevanov
Account Management: Shirley Tay, Ellen Tan, Peter Glaser, Cheryl Lim
Production house: Above the Sea
Executive producer: Sophie Kornberg - Spotwelders Los Angeles
Director: Tony Kaye
Editor: Spotwelders - Los Angeles