rebel unveils heartwarming ‘Sport is a Gift’ Christmas campaign via The General Store
Inspired by rebel’s brand purpose – the transformative power of sport – creative agency The General Store has launched a Christmas campaign that follows the touching journey of a young boy giving his mother a meaningful gift to lift her spirits through the holiday period.
Says Rosemary Martin, general manager of marketing and e-commerce at rebel: “The ‘Sport is a Gift’ campaign captures the essence of the transformative power of sport and its ability to change someone’s life. It highlights the generosity and spirit of the festive season, along with the importance of love and connection.”
In the hero film, the boy stumbles upon faded photos of his mother, a hardworking nurse who he discovers was a marathon runner in her former life. Inspired, he seeks to reignite his mum’s passion for sport and reconnects her with a forgotten part of her identity.
Says Marcus Tesoriero, chief creative officer at The General Store: “Sport is a powerful thing. It can help prevent sickness and lift mental health. But sport is more than just competitive games like basketball and tennis. It can be anything from an hour of yoga to a walk with the dog. Sport can boost endorphins and even bring a higher purpose to people’s lives.
“This was a special project to work on with rebel. We wanted to show how sport can be a much more meaningful gift at Christmas time – an opportunity to help friends and loved ones be more active and ultimately help them live better lives.”
The ‘Sport is a Gift’ integrated campaign is rolling out across cinema, online video, social and broadcast video on demand. The film was directed by Patrick Fileti, whose client experience spans Google, Canon, Lexus and Porsche.
Utilising The General Store’s expertise in architecture and interiors, the work also extends across all of rebel’s shop front windows and in-store visual merchandising.
Adds Martin: “This campaign is a tremendous build on our long-term relationship with The General Store. They have drawn on their expertise, from in-store architecture to integrated brand comms, bringing this work to life in its entirety.
“The General Store has done an exceptional job of shining a light on rebel’s brand purpose and creating something memorable.”
Client: rebel
General Manager of E-commerce and Marketing: Rosemary Martin
Head of Marketing: Brock Coleman
Business Marketing Manager – Health & Wellbeing: Olivia Stacy
Head of Brand & Creative: Zoe Phillips
Belinda Natoli: Marketing Associate
Creative agency: The General Store
Partner and CEO: Matt Newell
Partner and Chief Strategy Officer: Danny Lattouf
Chief Creative Officer: Marcus Tesoriero
Art Director: Daniel Li
Copywriter: Mitch Taylor
Group Account Director: Natalie Alaimo
Account Director: Chloe Geggus
Agency Producer: Hamish Roxburgh
Production Company: Clockwork Films
Director: Patrick Fileti
Director of Photography: Campbell Brown
Executive Producer: Rosie Parker & Heath George
Editor: Matt Maunsell
Colourist: Yanni Kronenberg
Music: Love by Facesoul* Sound design: Smith & Western
*Composition: Love, written, produced and recorded by Faisal Salah
Copyright Control
Cast: Angela Moutinho
Son: Reagan Swao
20 Comments
That kid has the right grindset to save $260 for a pair of runners.
Tesoriero just keeps knocking them out of the park!
Beautiful work
If Westpac and John Lewis had a baby…
And a single pare of pink shoes in a dark room doesn’t just change life – it changes behaviour. Mum is single, she’s minority, so let’s get the kid some shoes (This is like 80s America).
Idolising Marcus right now. Premier creative.
This will kill at award shows in 24.
This has your white V neck T-shirt all over it. We’d love to snare you to work for us. We think you are ready for some award-winning DM.
Nah. Feels dated, familiar and just boring.
Another great piece of work from the G Store
Like giving someone a Peleton for Christmas…
I don’t know Marcus,but are all these comments from his mates,just taking the piss or is indeed the the new creative Messiah.
This is epic. John Lewis meets Philadelphia Cream. As memorable as it gets
Why does this agency always back themselves in the comments?
This is bland and misses the mark.
That’s the best line of the year.
Best platform (if the client understands how powerful it is and its longevity) of the year.
Feels like a great first batch and there’s plenty of room for new flavours in the future.
Congrats Marcus and team.
What happened to The Monkeys?
The comments. The comments are brilliant.
Time and time again, without fail, if it’s from the ‘G’ Store, then the comments are next level back-pattery.
I’m enjoying reading just how many ways the man, the ‘messiah’, and agency are able to take self aggrandisement to a blatently ridiculous new level.
I get the sense that all this GStore praise started off as astroturfing from the agency, but has now developed into an industry meme, as a response to the blatant self congratulating they do. I doubt all of these out of touch with reality comments are theirs.
But did we really need ‘sport is calling’ as well?
Sport is a gift is so simple, yet unexpected. Would have been a great finish by itself.
Cadbury, John Lewis, Apple steadycam, Westpac is a pile on. Tes’ is the best in biz.
How come only the G store were allowed to comment?
O g. This hit my g spot. Shame the brand sucks .