All Blacks sponsors have a long history of piecing together some game-day footage, showing a few big hits, adding a bit of emotive language to illustrate the mana of the black jersey and trying to give Kiwis a few goosebumps. Adidas did it to pretty good effect during the Rugby World Cup. And, with the game against the French kicking off on Saturday, Steinlager, which has sponsored the All Blacks for 27 years, has done it as well with a dubstep-backed ode to one of the most successful teams in world sport.
The ad, which was made by DDB, aims to show the type of challenges the team has to overcome to stay at the top. And as it says: "When someone calls you the best in the world, every person you face wants to prove it wrong, to show you got lucky, had help, or didn't deserve it … They want to take away your highest honour. And that's just the way we like it."
UPDATE: According to the ZenithOptimedia blog, the ad will be "playing out during coverage of the games themselves, along with the British & Irish Lions tour matches.
"ZO managed to negotiate the ad being able to be played outside of the TV alcohol zone which usually restricts alcohol advertising between 20.30 and 06.00. This would have kept us out of the pre match or half time slots which we viewed as key. By working closely with DDB and the Steinlager client the team effort brought a sponsorship execution that allowed us to avoid this zone and secure a number of half time break slots when the audience is fully engaged."
Speaking of the All Blacks, here's a few of them talking with Josh Kronfeld about music for the Share a Coke and a Song campaign.
Steinlager credits:
Agency:
ECD: Andy Fackrell
CD: Chris Schofield
Creatives: Adam Thompson, Rory McKechnie
Managing Partner: Scott Wallace
Senior Account Manager: Jonathan Rea
Planning Director: David McIndoe
Executive TV Producer: Judy Thompson
Agency Producer: Tania Jeram
Offline Editor: Steve Gulik (Silk Productions)
Grade: Pete Ritchie (Blockhead)
Online Editor: Nigel Mortimer (Blockhead)
Audio: Craig Matuschka (Liquid Studios)
Music Compostion: Peter Van Der Fluit (Liquid Studios)
Media: ZenithOptiMedia
Business Director: Alex Lawson
Media Planner: Kate Gamble
Client:
Marketing Manager – Dave Pearce
Senior Brand Manager – Michael Taylor
Assistant Brand Manager – Alison Futcher
