Saatchi & Saatchi Thailand is capitalizing on the World Cup action by joining forces with its new client, Asian online gaming brand Garena, to hype the free EA Sports multiplayer game, FIFA Online 3. Following days of teasing last week in the form of media hijacking of Southeast Asian soccer news sites, where actual football stars mentioned in news articles were replaced with that of Thai game players, Saatchi Thailand and Garena have officially launched the campaign, “I Am the One,” via the :60 spot above.
Dubbed “Messi’s Arrival,” the clip debuted the day before the Argentinean superstar and his countrymen defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina and imagines what he experienced upon landing in Brazil through the eyes of someone who perhaps resembles your ideal gamer. Of course, Messi himself never actually appears in the spot (he’s in a million other commercials as you may have noticed, though), but it basically keeps in the line with the “I Am the One” campaign theme. Along with the spot, Saatchi Thailand is also developing content for its native audience based on results from its Live Creativity real-time social and content hub, which will follow World Cup news and social chatter as the event progresses. The agency’s ECD, Nuntawat Chaipornkaew, explains, “When Brazil scored an own goal, our content team produced an ‘interview’ with a Thai player talking about how he just wanted to score the first goal. When Spanish star Alonso lost tooth, so did our stars and even the audience. When Suerez hurt his knee, so did we.”
With the film and social components covered, the parties involved will also be launching the full website for FIFA Online 3 come tomorrow. There, an interactive version of the film will be available and allow viewers to insert their own faces into it to “be the one” and also join the world’s largest football team photo. One can only imagine how that will turn out. Credits after the jump.
Client: Garena
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Thailand
Executive Creative Director: Nuntawat Chaipornkaew
Creative Group Head: Papop Chaowanapreecha
Art Directors: Krissada Jun-On, Prapat Patomchaiwiwat, Weerayutt Angkharach, Shayne Chomchinda, Kajohnchai Rodklongtan
Copywriters: Tanongsak Tannoprat, Chavanon Tantisiriseranee, Nattinee Hemwanno
Agency Producer: Aitthipat Boonkumol, Chanida Noikampan
Executive Planing Director: Tarn Tanarugsachock
Account Handler: Orathai Maneechot
Production House: NUMBER SEVEN
Director: Anurux Jansanjai
Director Of Photography: Pirachat Puttisaengpakdee
Producer: Patchupan Boonchan
Production Manager: Siriporn Panthong
Art Director: Poo-rich Timpatoom
Editor: Kriangkrai Watananiyom
Sound Engineering: Sakchai Kungwanprasert