To mark its sponsorship status for the 2016 Rio Olympics, Samsung told the emotionally powerful story South Sudanese 400m runner Margret Rumat Rumat Hassan- getting 22m YouTube views in the process.
The 19-year-old was the first representative for the country after gaining its independence from Sudan in 2011. With such an inspiring story, Samsung couldn’t deny that Hassan would be the perfect fit for a new campaign just in time for the Olympics.
“The Chant,” created by Leo Burnett Chicago, aims to capture the brand’s defying the odds attitude, while promoting the Samsung Gear IconX cord-free earbuds.
“We wanted to find an athlete that represented progress and defied the barriers and overcame something, to be an embodiment of what the brand is and the mentality of the brand. You can’t move forward without overcoming obstacles,” Gordy Sang, svp, creative director for Leo Burnett Chicago, told Adweek.
The spot follows Hassan as she prepares for her Olympic debut by putting in her wireless headphones and getting herself psyched up to compete. Between shots the viewer sees her country rallying behind her and chanting her name in city streets, which Sang said was an incredible sight to witness during filming.
“The Chant” ends with the tagline, “Do What You Can’t,” further illustrating the idea of overcoming obstacles in order to achieve one’s dreams.
The idea fits nicely with the product itself, the wireless earbuds that give consumers the freedom to listen to their music how they want, when they want, without the constraints of wires or smartphones.