Nike Keep the Ball Alive for Rugby World Cup
Nike has released “Keep the Ball Alive”, a television advertising campaign, in Australia and New Zealand in time for the Rugby World Cup.
The commercial begins with a guy crashing through a glass window, rugby union ball in hand. Other London pedestrians join in the escalating game, jumping off buses, throwing in at the traffic lights and even jumping off tall buildings.
The ad features a series of international rugby stars including former Wallaby Tim Horan, Ireland’s Keith Wood, France’s Fabien Galthie, England’s Lawrence Dallaglio, Dan Luger, James Simpson-Daniel and Fijian Rupeni Caucaunibuca.
BandT reports that Nike’s had a few problems keeping the ad alive. After complaints to the Australian Standards Board, Publicis Mojo Australia and Nike were given the go ahead. But the UK’s Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre (BACC) were not so impressed and banned the ad. Probably something to do with jumping up on a car and smashing the windscreen.
The web site Keep the Ball Alive has an interactive competition running during the World Cup in October and November 2003. All to do with spotting 5 symbols. The TV advert is available to play right there. You enter by sending an SMS text message -- the details are sent back to you by SMS and recorded message I managed to download a groovy ‘where is the love’ mobile phone tone after collecting the missing answers from people in a chat list.
Click on the image below to play the video in YouTube (HD)
Credits
‘Keep the Ball Alive’ was created by the Publicis Mojo, Melbourne team, with agency producer Corey Esse, art directors Christy Peacock and Steve Jackson.
Director Steve Rogers from Revolver Films & Biscuit Filmworks (both feature the KTBA ad in flash form) worked with editor Drew Thompson, executive producer Michael Ritchie, line producer Georgina Wilson and director of photography Mandy Walker.
Editor Bernard Garry was working with Karl Marks who host Nike Keep the Ball Alive as a 10.67 mb quicktime video.
Post Production team at Animal Logic included producer Sarah Hiddlestone, animator Craig Baxter and flame compositor Leoni Willis. Animal Logic host Nike Keep The Ball Alive as a 13.42 mb quicktime video.
The song used in the ad is “Eye for an eye”, by Unkle, from their album, Never Never Land. Download the whole track from iTunes:
Eye For An Eye Lyrics
“Where you’re going you’re not coming back from…
Run, run, run, but you sure can’t hide
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth
Run, run, run, but you sure can’t hide
This great Evil…
Where’s it coming from?
What are you to me?”.
Postscript
The World Cup is all over now and the KTBA campaign has been taken off the Nike site. However there’s a great coverage of the ad at Animal Logic, with a decent quicktime version of the ad. Karl Marks also have a quicktime version.
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Posted in Inspiration, Interactive, TV Ads Cinema and Online Videos
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Hello, I am looking for a video clip file of that Australian ad showing sheep doing the Haka, that was mocking the NZ All Blacks. I cannot find it on your site and would greatly appreciate knowing where I can download a copy (prepared to pay charge of course)
Thank you
Hi
On the Nike KTBA website, there was a short clip that involved a security guard in a foyer picking up the ball that Rupeni dropped & then running off with it. Does anyone know what happens next?