INTERSPORT Elverys has launched a Christmas campaign created by 53Six, drawing parallels between the anticipation of Christmas morning and the patience, setbacks and belief involved in sport.
Titled “Worth the Wait”, the campaign centres on a television commercial connecting personal moments, from waiting for new boots to recovering from injury, with the hopes shared by supporters waiting for their team to succeed.
Directed by Imogen Harrison, the film features music composition, sound design and mixing by JJ Mitchell, with voices from India and Alaïa Austin and contributions from more than 30 Mayo supporters recorded in Santry.
The campaign also includes photography, social videos, three radio advertisements and ambassador films featuring athlete Sharlene Mawdsley and Mayo footballer Jack Coyne.
Anne Marie Hanly, head of brand at INTERSPORT Elverys, said: “This is the emotional space we wanted to play in, rather than competing on pure promotion. We wanted Christmas for its emotional context, rather than its visual costume. Born in Mayo, INTERSPORT Elverys has been a cornerstone of Irish sport since forever, so the long journey is not lost on us!”
Tom Fox, co-founder and chief executive of 53Six, said: “Ultimately, we wanted restraint as strategy. We wanted to resist Christmas conventions and keep the brand present without being overpowering. Let the audience connect with the emotion first and foremost. Perhaps that’s through picking up your child after training late on a Tuesday night, or watching your team triumph after decades of torment…it’s a familiar feeling for us. Sports is what we do at 53Six.”
Production took place over four days in October across locations in Dublin and Mayo, including Morton Stadium and Croagh Patrick.
Credits
Client: INTERSPORT Elverys
Agency: 53Six
Agency leads: Tom Fox and Marcus McDonnell
Account director: Clare Gregg
Creative director: Barry Taylor
Art director: Delphine Perret
Head of production: Conor O’Doherty
TVC director: Imogen Harrison
TVC producer: Grainne Tiernan
Director of photography: Narayan van Maele
Editor: Arsen Hokera
Music composition, sound design and mix: JJ Mitchell
Colour grade: Tim Smith at Rascal
VFX: Andrew Loughnane
Photographer: Eilish McCormick
Narratives director and editor: Daniel Browne
Ambassador content director: Fionn Kane
