Looking to capture the raw essence of college football in its most pure form, Versus turned to Viewpoint Creative, the advertising agency specializing in entertainment and lifestyle brands, to create a launch campaign for its college football coverage that would resonate with passionate fans. Viewpoint responded with a multi-platform campaign that includes logo design, teasers, launch spots, a graphic toolbox to be used throughout the season, print ads, online, radio and in-stadium promotional stunts.
"Versus' college football coverage is about the purity of the game and the team effort required to win," said Michael Middeleer, Viewpoint's Executive Creative Director. "It's not about the cheerleaders, foam fingers and ego maniacs. It's about going back to campus two months early to attend double session practices and spending hours in the weight room. We wanted to capture that commitment in the campaign."
The centerpiece of the campaign is the :30 image spot, which focuses on the point of collision during a game - that explosion where two opposing players meet. Shot in evocative, silhouetted lighting, utilizing a photosonic film camera we see a player running with the ball and colliding with a defensive player. At the moment of impact the camera freezes except for the beads of sweat coming off the players. The POV switches into the actual beads of sweat where we see a stirring sequence of excruciating workouts, practices, drills and stair-laps -- basically everything it took this unseen player to get to this exact moment in time. The voiceover reinforces the visuals: "In college football there are no paychecks, no summer breaks, no Friday night parties. Just two teams, two schools and one football. Versus College Football: It's on."
For the production, Viewpoint filmed throughout the night and incorporated the use of a photosonic camera -- an ultra high-speed film camera shooting at 1000 frames-per-second -- that captured in vivid detail the moment of impact between the two players and water droplets in amazing details.
"In keeping with the purity of the game, we utilized former college football players as talent for both the TV spots, print & online campaign, said David Shilale, Viewpoint's General Manager/Executive Producer. "It was important to us and our client that the players portrayed in the campaign be authentic when integrated into our concept and scripts."
"Versus is about the raw and unapologetic nature of sport," said Matt Naboshek, Viewpoint's Art Director. "They were looking to plant a flag in the college football world and speak to fans in a way that reflects respect for the game, the teams, the players, the rivalries and the fans -- everything that makes college football great and I think we accomplished that."
Adds Ryan Donovan, Versus Vice President of Marketing, "Versus College Football is about missing Friday night parties to prep for Saturday's game. It's about the underdog and the infrequent Hail Mary. It's about the hair on your neck standing up as the team runs out of the tunnel and the rush of adrenaline you get as the kick off teams collide midfield. From the moment Viewpoint presented concepts, right on thru the middle of the night filming and the completion of the design & editorial, it was clear that they understood what we were about and what we were trying to accomplish. Viewpoint captured the essence of Versus College Football with this campaign."