Ad of the Day: Guinness highlights African footballers who have overcome adversity to thrive
Inspiring stories highlight a new campaign for Guinness featuring Africans who have overcome adversities, such as lost limbs and being the only woman in a male dominated sport, to thrive in sport and life.
‘Made of Black’ by AMV BBDO tells four unique stories that celebrate individuals who show unexpected character in the world of football and inspire those around them. Each film features a true story and covers issues such as gender stereotyping and overcoming disabilities.
In the first, ‘Tabitha,’ a Kenyan woman, recounts how after her husband’s death she overcame her grief to become a professional referee in men’s football, despite overwhelming social pressures not to do so.
Nigerian Goodluck, in the second film, tells how even though he lost his leg in an accident, his love of football helped him to find love, friendship and happiness.
In a third, Gaelle from Cameroon talks of how she overcame gender role convention to find international success in women’s football, and shows her scoring goals against men as well.
A fourth film highlights Wisdom from Ghana talking about how, despite suddenly going blind, he still pursued his passion for playing football and found a new lease of life through his team and the friendships he made through the process.
At the end of each film, the featured storyteller links the obstacles they have overcome and the achievements they have had to being ‘Made of Black’ – a connection to the Guinness ‘Made of More’ platform.
The stories are all football-related to tie in with Guinness’s sponsorship of sub-Saharan Africa TV network DSTV’s coverage of English Premier League football.
The films were directed by Wilkins & Maguire – Bafta-nominated documentary makers at production company Stink and co-written with Andy Clough and Richard McGrann. They were filmed by Oscar-nominated James Laxton and colored by Alex Bickel, both of Moonlight fame.
The ‘Made of Black’ campaign was introduced back in 2014 by AMV BBDO and BBDO agencies across Africa to, according to the company, “connect a bold, confident generation, with a bold and confident beer.”
“Our focus this year is on celebrating genuine ‘Made of Black’ individuals – those whose unexpected character enriches the world around them,” said Richard McGrann and Andy Clough, creative directors at AMV BBDO, in a statement.
“The characters in our stories are united by their love of football and real human truths. We hope they’ll inspire others to show they’re Made of Black too.”
Wilkins & Maguire added: "The challenge with these films was to compress the life journey of these individuals into a small and powerful narrative. Finding their transformation moment was the key; the moment they are no longer victims, but heroes."
Added Graham Villiers-Tuthill, marketing director Guinness, Africa: “We’re really proud of this work and how it brings our brand purpose to life so powerfully for our audiences across the continent. It’s a distinctive take on football from the most distinctive beer in the world.”
The campaign will run for 12 months across sub-Saharan Africa network DSTV, on YouTube internationally, on Facebook nationally, and on local TV stations across Africa.
See all the films by clicking on the Creative Works box below.
