Launched to leverage the tail end of the ICC Cricket World Cup and ahead of the summer’s Ashes series, the England Cricket Board (ECB) primary team sponsor Natwest launched a social media film called ‘Freddie v Freddie’.
Starring one of the most iconic figures in English cricket, Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff, the spot uses clever technology to show him facing one of his own most famous overs as a bowler – from the 2005 Ashes series at Edgbaston.
It was recreated on a cricket pitch using a machine built by BOLA that can recreate any ball that’s ever been bowled in test history – recreating the speed, line, length, swing and spin of each ball.
The video emerged after NatWest polled the Twitter-using public on which iconic over they’d most like to see Freddie face and the film provides fans with a tense viewing experience that effectively communicates the excitement key cricket moments provide.
The campaign, created with agency M&C Saatchi, was teased on 10 July,
Freddie v Freddie
Watch Freddie Flintoff face the greatest over he's ever bowled.#NoBoundaries pic.twitter.com/KuOZYCdEU0
— NatWest Cricket (@NatWest_Cricket) July 10, 2019
and officially launched on the bank’s cricket Twitter feed to coincide with England’s defeat of Australia on 13 July, which secured the team’s place in the World Cup final on July 14 (which England also won).
The former England all-rounder even managed to hit himself for six.
The bank will continue to activate through the tournament and the Ashes with on-pitch, at-game and social content.
First Test 50 for @JasonRoy20
Quite the summer so far for @englandcricket’s opener
Wonder if there were a few words of wisdom from this volunteer at this year’s NatWest CricketForce?#NoBoundaries #ENGvIRE #NWCF pic.twitter.com/KoNkOhZ9sw
— NatWest Cricket (@NatWest_Cricket) July 25, 2019
Supporting @englandcricket for 38 years.#NoBoundaries #WorldChampions pic.twitter.com/5SN9PWvT7d
— NatWest Cricket (@NatWest_Cricket) July 14, 2019
This at-event activation strand sees NatWest invite fans to bat against the bowling simulator which will replicate significant deliveries from some of England’s most gripping cricket moments.
The ECB partner’s simulator led ‘Pick-up & Play Cricket Experience’, developed by BatFast and also delivered by agency M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, invites fans at the test series to test their own skills against some of the most iconic names in the sport.
The simulator can bowl any type of ball from any game: including the now-famous ‘super over’ which saw England win the ICC Cricket World Cup at Lord’s in July and, during the third test at Headingley, fans could face balls from the second test (including an over from Joffra Archer).
Plus, for every six hit during the activation, NatWest will donate £6 to its charity partner, Chance to Shine, as well as giving six hitting fans a chance to win tickets and NowTV passes.
The aim is to engage both existing cricket fans and new ones and the activation is one phase of NatWest’s ongoing #NoBoundaries campaign which sets out to make it easier for people to experience and play cricket and leverage a UK cricketing summer in which an ICC Cricket World Cup and an Ashes series have raised the profile of the sport.
The campaign was created for Royal Bank of Scotland Group Chief Marketing Officer David Wheldon and Natwest Brand Marketing Director Emma Isaac, Head of Advertising and Content Petra Cameron and Head of Sponsorship and Hospitality Martyn Wilson, Advertising Lead Anna Vaughan, Advertising Campaign Manager Allan Watson and Senior Sponsorship Manager Brett Williams.
It was developed by an M&C Saatchi London team led by Chief Creative Officer Justin Tindall and which included Executive Creative Director Matt Lee, Creatives Matthew Collier and Wayne Robinson, Agency Producer Gareth Williams, Post Producers Gareth Williams and Natalie Curran, Deputy Managing Director Mark Newnes, Business Director Angus Maclay, Account Manager Matt Reed, Account Executive Paddy Cavanagh and Senior Strategist Simon Butcher.
The production company was Electric Robin with Director Kevin Batchelor,Production Co-producer Ross Brandon, DoP Conor O’Grady, with editing by Billy Mead @ Ten Three, sound by Arge, composer Zebedee Budworth and grade by Danny Wood.
Comment:
Natwest’s film is genuinely an inventive and a spectacular cricket stunt.
A smart, compelling idea that that leverly blends archival and new cricket footage to enhance the competition.
A present from a bank for England cricket fans ahead of the World Cup Final and an Ashes summer.
It’s also neat that the sponsor has linked the 2019 World Cup with the 2005 Ashes as cricket hasn’t enjoyed a higher profile in the UK since that epic 2005 when England beat Australia in an series.
After supporting cricket across the UK for the last 37 years, NatWest are currently the Principal Partner of the England and Wales Cricket Board.
In 2017, they launched their ‘Cricket Has No Boundaries’ campaign designed to showcase and celebrate the diversity and breadth of modern cricket in the UK, support the ECB’s aim for a game for everyone and mirror the bank’s own commitment to diversity and inclusion (see case study).
Links:
Natwest
https://www.youtube.com/user/NatWestVideoChannel
https://www.facebook.com/NatWest/
https://www.instagram.com/natwest/
https://twitter.com/NatWest_Cricket
M&C Saatchi London
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