The challenge aims to raise $3 million for the charity’s vital hospital services, Captain Starlight and the Starlight Express Rooms.
The Starlight Children’s Foundation, which brightens the lives of ill and hospitalised children, has launched campaign in support of the fourth annual Super Swim challenge this month.
The challenge aims to raise $3 million for the charity’s vital hospital services, Captain Starlight and the Starlight Express Rooms.
The campaign was generously created in collaboration with two Brisbane-based creative businesses: Colony developed the creative concept, and Chop Shop Post Pty Ltd, provided full production and post production services with composer Mark Watson.
The campaign urges people from all walks of life to take part in the swimming challenge to raise money for sick kids, and when they do - Australia will be cheering them on.
Titled ‘Cheer On’, the ad invites Australians to become a Starlight Super Swim Hero by signing up to the fundraising challenge online.
Colony Creative Director Simon Buutveld: “We set out to grab the attention of people who aren’t afraid to jump in the water, no matter where they are in Australia.”
The ad plays to the universal appeal and love for swimming that many Australians have. The inspiring spot and the audio that accompanies switches between the world of the swimmers and their enthusiastic audience.
The TVC was shot on four different days, in eight different locations, across two states and captured three different sunrises – all while juggling the challenges of an east-coast weather event and the pandemic,
The vision was captured with ARRI’s new large-format camera and Leica lenses, allowing filmmakers to explore the immersive large format aesthetic while retaining pleasing skin tones and stunning capability for HDR workflows.
“Lav and Mike were passionate about every single shot and did a great job of communicating the seriousness of the foundation’s work,” said Buutveld.
National Marketing & Communications Manager, Melissa Gamble: “Starlight has continued to be there for sick kids throughout the challenges of the past two years. Only with the help of the community taking part in challenges like Starlight’s Super Swim, can we continue to deliver the happiness and positive distraction seriously ill children and their families so desperately need in times like this.
“The Colony team were incredible to work with from the outset, presenting three strong creative ideas. Coupled with Chop Shop, the team never lost sight of delivering visually stunning footage, while working on a shoestring charity budget and with tight timings,” she said.
Colony Co-Founder, Matt McCarthy said: “It was a massive pleasure to be involved in this key project. Our whole team loved the process and we all had a lot of fun creating this new campaign. Our biggest goal is to see this work deliver an outstanding fundraising and awareness result for Starlight.”
The cast were all volunteers with the ad also featuring Starlight ambassadors Mick Fanning and Brooke Hanson, who interestingly take a backseat in the commercial to the ‘starring’ swimmers - consisting of Starlight team members, board representatives and fundraisers. The campaign is ‘powered by Speedo’ who generously donated swimsuits and gear to support production.
The campaign is running across a variety of free to air and paid channels, with media generously donated through media partners secured by global media agency Orion Worldwide.
The TVC has been released as part of Starlight’s marketing rollout with activity across free-to-air and subscription TV, radio, digital, social and retain OOH channels to drive buzz for the Super Swim.
This is the first Super Swim TVC the children’s charity has released since the campaign’s inception in 2019. It is available in full or 60 seconds, 30 seconds and 15 seconds spots.
The Super Swim challenge encourages Australians around the country to dive in and make a splash for sick kids for the month of February. This year, Australia’s favourite virtual swim challenge aims to raise $3 million across February to deliver happiness to over 76,000 sick kids in hospital.
CREDITS
Client: Starlight Children’s Foundation
Melissa Gamble, National Marketing & Communications Manager
Jenny Truong, Marketing Executive
Denise Zlotowski, Community Fundraising Manager
Georgina Barlow, Community Campaigns Lead
Strategic Advisory: Colony
Creative Directors, Simon Buutveld and Jim Strachan
Art Director, Simon Buutveld
Copywriter, Hannah Proberts
Client Growth and Partnerships Director, Mark Gregory
Senior Account Manager, Emma McGarrigle
Founders, Matt McCarthy, Katelyn Woolley
Produced by: Chop Shop
Directors: Lav Bodnaruk, Michael Mier
DOP: Lav Bodnaruk
Camera: Mark Broadbent, Steve Dube, Luis Bran
Editor: Lav Bodnaruk
Sound design: Michael Mier
Colourist and VFX: Caleb De Leon
Composer: Mark Watson
Sound Design Radio: Justin Harrison
Media Agency: Orion Media
