New Zealand based sportswear brand Canterbury celebrated 120 years of inspiring and supporting generations of athletes with a flagship anniversary brand film showcasing the apparel retailer’s sporting and cultural heritage.
The film, titled ‘Canterbury of New Zealand: 120 Years’ seeks to capture the brand’s legacy and celebrate some of the most iconic moments: from sailing legend Sir Peter Blake’s yachting dominance, to the countless All Blacks victories spanning an 80-year alliance (including rugby legends with brand links such as Jonah Lomu, Va’aiga Tuigamala, Sir Michael Jones and Mark Tele’a).
The two-minute, 45-second video, helmed by Sweetshop Director Tom Gould (who has worked with the company on a number of occasions), takes viewers on a brand journey: one that showcases the determination, toughness and resilience synonymous with Canterbury of New Zealand.
Deployed across the brand’s digital and social channels and backed by a PR push, the hero spot dropped from 6 March (leveraging spiking global rugby interest around the Super Rugby Pacific and the Guinness Six Nations).
As the spot states: “Before you really knew us, we were there. We were in the trenches, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, with war heroes and our sporting greats. From rugby icons to sailing champions, from grassroots, to the world stage, we’ve had your back for 120 years. We know what it means to be tough. To be resilient. To tackle challenges head on. To show up. To stay in the fight. Breaking through the crushing lows and striving for the dizzying highs. These life lessons, passed down through generations, have made us who we are today. And tomorrow, as dawn breaks, we’ll stand up once again and inspire together. What’s next? It’s up to all of us.”
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The video is set to ‘KA MATE’ which was composed by Te Rauparaha courtesy of Ngāti Toa Rangatira.
The core film was supported by cut downs and additional social executions.
The campaign content drives viewers and brand fans to an online anniversary hub containing further anniversary linked imagery, timelines and product ranges and purchasing platforms.
“For 120 years Canterbury of New Zealand has been creating activewear as resilient as the people that wear it. We’ve been there for the moments that matter, both on and off the field. It has been a privilege to partner with and pay homage to some of the most celebrated sporting icons in a campaign that honours past legends and empowers the next generation.”
Canterbury of New Zealand Global Senior Vice President Luke Doddrell
“Canterbury of New Zealand is a brand I grew up with and one I have a deep respect for. From outfitting our troops through times of war to all of our sporting heroes on land and ocean, it was a uniform for everybody growing up in Aotearoa.
“I wanted to capture the history and nostalgia that is connected to this brand and highlight these moments in sport and culture that so many of us remember in our hearts. I wanted the film to take people back to these times and to pay homage to the sporting greats of our time who wore the three C’s on their jersey.”
Sweetshop Director Tom Gould.
The campaign was created for a Canterbury group which included Global Senior Vice President Luke Doddrell, Head of Product and Marketing ANZ AJ Moriarty and Senior Marketing Manager Juliet McInnes by a team at Production Company The Sweetshop led by Director Tom Gould, Producer Mia Henry-Teirney, DOP Ziga Zupancic and Art Director Joseph Leary.
This campaign adds to the brand’s rich marketing heritage and some of our favourite past initiatives from the recent past include 2022’s ‘Changing The Game’ women’s rugby online film series, its 2017 British & Irish Lions ‘Untouchable Jersey’ campaign and its 2016 ‘Join The Committed’ rugby training experience.