The Unilever owned deodorant has been sold under various brand names around the world – including Rexona (Australia), Sure (UK) and Degree (USA) – leveraged spiking soccer interest around the globe driven by Qatar 2022 through an international campaign fronted by famous football ambassadors Thiago Silva, Julian Alvarez and Diego Lainez.
The action-packed, multi-market campaign ran under the brand’s umbrella, ongoing ‘Not Done Yet’ platform and featured players who from different markets – Silva (Brazil and Chelsea FC), Alvarez (Argentina and Manchester City FC) and Lainez (Mexico and Braga)
The hero 60-second commercial, which was created by global sports and entertainment agency CSM with production outfit Irresistible Studios and helmed by Director Giorgio Bruni, features action vignettes blended with a focus on power, grit and determination.
The spot sees the soccer stars training in diverse urban environments: Silva on the pitch, Alvarez running up stadium stairs and Lainez working with battle ropes in a derelict warehouse. The players, covered of course in sweat, are immersed in the work and push themselves towards their limits as the voices of their critics intensify until the sound stops and silence takes over until a wave of fan support reignites their drive – inspiring them to rise up and get back in the game.
Featuring Thiago Silva, Julian Alvarez and Diego Lainez, #NotDoneYet explores how even the world’s biggest stars have to overcome self-doubt to reach the top of the game: thus inspiring fans around the world to overcome challenges and stereotypes and move forward with confidence.
The campaign launched on TV and digital channels in multiple markets including Argentina, Brazil and Mexico and was timed to leverage the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup.
“We knew that bringing Rexona’s biggest football campaign of the year to life was always going to be fun and challenging in equal parts. Shooting in two countries, in three different locations, and featuring three international football stars, had every ingredient for an amazing campaign. It’s been a pleasure working with Irresistible on this project, we had a great time on set and fit in a few laughs for good measure,” said CSM Senior Creative Rui Antunes and Sunchi Mathur.
Supporting the central spot is a set of online videos – one for each player sharing their own personal story – which each show that even the world’s leading players have been made to doubt themselves due to the judgement of others. Through the positive narratives of players who are breaking barriers to move with confidence, the campaign sees the brand set out to ‘inspire movers around the world to overcome their own doubters and fears’.
38-year-old Brazil skipper Silva, despite being considered amongst the best defenders in the world, fights the idea that he’s too old to continue playing at the top level.
Argentina and Man City forward Alvarez repeatedly confronts social media mockery of his regular substitute appearances for his club as he strives to prove to everyone he’s worthy of his shirt.
22-year-old Mexico national player Lainez has been forced to deal with the pressure of being a young talented player entering a big league with high expectations.
The campaign was created for a Unilever / Rexona client group which included Global Brand Director Renata Assunção, Senior Brand Managers Alexandra Decaudain and Camille Singer, plus Assistant Brand Manager Ricardo Zampol.
It was conceived by a team at agency CSM led by Director of Content Johnny Durrant, Senior Content Director Koby Geddes, Senior Account Director Ed Price, Senior Account Director Jack Whitehouse, Account Manager Erin Hushon, Head of Creative Alex Kemp and Senior Creatives Rui Antunes and Sunchi Mathur.
The production company was Irresistible Studios with Director Giorgio Bruni, Producer Blake Kenward, Executive Producer Harriet-Kate McKean, Head of Talent Rory Lever, Marketing Manager Fida Khalid and Production Manager Adam Diamond, plus Offline Editor Pete Fullarton and online, grade and sound handled by Tag Collective.
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Degree’s umbrella commitment is to inspiring everyone with the confidence to move – something which starts with its deodorants and antiperspirants – and the ‘Not Done Yet’ campaign highlights the benefits of Degree’s 72hr Advanced range with MotionSense technology.
Other sports-focused activations bringing the ‘Not Done Yet’ platform to life include the brand’s activation of its 2022 San Francisco marathon partnership.
It explores how everyone has limits and doubts and uses the power of movement to boost confidence and break down barriers on and off the pitch.
The product, under its various brands around the world, is a long-time soccer sponsor. For example, Degree sponsors of the Premier League clubs Chelsea FC and Manchester City FC
While in the USA, Degree’s soccer sponsorships include its recent deal to become the first-ever dedicated partner of the US Soccer Para National Teams. A tie-up which it activated in October 2022 as part of the US Soccer Stories series (https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2022…)
Rexona was originally created by Australian physician Alice Sheffer back in 1908 in Australia for the Sheldon Drug Company. In the 1930s, Lever Brothers – one of the founding companies soon to become Unilever – bought Rexona and began expanding it internationally under multiple brand names including Sure, Degree, Shield and Rexena.
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