*2022 Clio Sports Awards – 2 Bronze
*2022 The One Show – Shortlist
*2022 D&ADs – Shortlist
Challenge: Create an anthem video for the Detroit Pistons that authentically captures the spirit of the city and what the team means to its fans.
Easy-peasy, right? Well, not really. For one thing, we’re a Toronto agency. We didn’t have the slightest clue what it meant to be a Detroiter. To grow up in the city. To be a diehard Pistons fan. So how could we authentically capture the voice of the community? We couldn’t. So we went right to the source.
Just as graffiti is the art of the street, spoken word poetry is its megaphone. We worked with local legendary spoken word artist, Mama Sol. Because who better to speak about what it means to be a Detroiter than a true Detroiter?
The poem, written and performed by Mama Sol herself, serves as a guiding force as the film sweeps through the city, catching glimpses of Detroiters on and off the court. Using a mix of motion and still and digital and analogue imagery, director/editor Michael Medoway creates a collage of the city's beloved team and diehard fans.
I couldn’t have said it better myself. I really, really couldn’t have.