BECKHAM MEETS BUSH IN ADIDAS 'FUTBOL MEETS FOOTBALL' CAMPAIGN

Two different worlds of Football will meet this summer when David Beckham arrives in America to play for the LA Galaxy. In anticipation of his arrival, adidas created an opportunity for Beckham to meet American Football star Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints on the field, so that each could try his hand at the other’s game. The ‘Futbol meets Football’ campaign captures this first-time meeting between the two legendary sportsmen as they trade stories on life and sport while they each learn a new game.
The concept was created and executed by adidas’ global advertising partner 180. The new campaign is a nod to the enduringly popular adidas/180 ‘Kicking it’ campaign from 2003, where Beckham met rugby player Jonny Wilkinson. This time round the campaign has come out of 180 LA - via the new Santa Monica office.
‘Futbol meets Football’ is a PR, online and viral campaign which consists of 15 documentary style films of varied length to be used for web and TV content - co-directed by Aussie expat Richard Bullock, joint ECD of 180 Amsterdam (with Kiwi expat Andy Fackrell). The campaign also includes 50 stills shot by Pulitzer Prize winning photographer David Turnley, who collaborated with 180 earlier this year for the ‘Impossible is Nothing’ campaign. The meeting of the two athletes was deliberately unscripted to get a spontaneous and authentic result. All of the footage can be viewed on the:

ADIDAS SITE

“What makes this such a great idea and so uniquely adidas”, comments William Gelner, Executive Creative Director of 180 LA, “is just how down-to-earth and likeable the guys are in this whole experience. You get a unique insight into who they are. It totally captures the essence of adidas and the tone of the brand. Which is not about putting athletes on a pedestal and treating them like unattainable superstars; but about allowing them to be themselves. You can see what Beckham and Bush are really
like as athletes- and as people. This unscripted way of working with athletes allows them have fun and to let loose. This is not advertising in the traditional sense; it’s about making content that’s compelling enough to create its own momentum.”

Client: adidas USA
Agency: 180 LA (180\TBWA)
Richard Bullock: Executive Creative Director
Andy Fackrell: Executive Creative Director
William Gelner: Executive Creative Director
Andy Nordfors - Art Director
Peter McHugh - Copy Writer
Tony Stearns - Senior Producer
Photography: Orchard by Getty Images
David Turnley: Photographer
Production Company: Passion Pictures (London)
Richard Bullock & Dan Gordon - Directors
Russell McLean - Producer
Alex Melman - DOP
Editing: 180 Amsterdam
Peter Warren - Editor
Helen de Wit - Producer
Post Production: The Mill (London)
Jamie Wilkinson - Colourist
Robin McGloin - Smoke Artist
Darren O’Kelly - Post Producer