The Brief

The objectives of this project was to show the massive support to the Japan national football team in an authentic, honest, inspirational, innovative and passionate way leading up to 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Our strategy was as opposed to running a standard football spot, we created the movement in a grassroots level by connecting with the school aged audience and inspiring them to come together and get behind the national team on their journey to world cup.

Creative Execution

This project has been able to evolve the story from the one about how the team jerseys can help the Japan team perform better to one that is inspiring supporters to come together and get behind the team on their journey to the World Cup. By focusing on schools and regions which the team members are from, adidas has been able to engage the public in a sincere and innovative way to further reinforce why adidas is the leading football brand from the national level to a grassroots level.

Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective.

Our solution was through the collaboration of supporters from all over Japan, we created an inspirational and world record-setting send-off in the form of a giant comic strip that the National Football team could view from the plane as they departed to South Africa.

Results

Marketing campaigns often receive accolades and awards, but it isn't often that they set a world record in the process. And the best part of this project is making FIFA world cup meaningful to children. Approximately 13,000 school aged supporters participated to Sky Comic event took place at 13 cities. Over 50,000 people were involved in project digitally. And the project generated over US$ 6,600,000 worth of earned media with 0 investments in paid media.