Montefiore Einstein partnered with award-winning creative agency MIRIMAR to develop a breakthrough campaign for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The campaign draws the unexpected parallel of how early detection, be it in sports or in cancer, leads to better outcomes.
The campaign line speaks for itself – Talent is best if spotted early. So is cancer. Cleverly aligning Montefiore Einstein as the official sponsor of spotting it early.
The film “Spot it Early” – a young breakdancer’s eye for talent illustrates that when it comes to cancer and talent, it’s all about spotting it early, and if you do, no victory is out of reach.
The campaign taps into an authentic cultural connection: Both breakdancing and Montefiore Einstein were born in The Bronx, New York. Breakdancing, which got its start just steps away from Montefiore Einstein in The Bronx, will also be making its debut as an Olympic sport.
Narrated by Bronx icon, hip-hop pioneer, and hall of fame rapper Rahiem from Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, the film tells the story of a young boy, Reece, whose eye for spotting talent and love for breakdancing saw the opportunity that breaking could have in his community in the South Bronx.
As you move through the film, you are catapulted back to the South Bronx and the Loews Paradise Theatre watching the growth of breaking that leads to Reece’s success story. As the film ends, an older Reece, the now-breakdancing legend, looks upon another young hopeful as the journey continues to the Olympics, 2024.
The film features a cameo appearance from Bronx hip-hop icon Grandmaster Caz as the talent show host and features Pep-C who is on the USA’s national Breaking Team. Watch below:
REELated:
“It was a privilege to tell this story. Everyone from Loreen Babcock the CMO who truly embraced the idea, all the way to the entire team that crafted it were united in striving to make a campaign worthy of this moment. The director Seb Edwards was excellent and we all felt the responsibility to do it right,” said John McKelvey co-founder and CCO of MIRIMAR.
The film was directed by Sports Emmy Award-Winner Seb Edwards of Park Pictures and shot by multi Emmy Award-Winning Cinematographer Adam Arkapaw. The team was meticulous with their craft and attention to detail creating material so true to the period many thought it was 80’s cinema, and not shot on location in The Bronx in 2024. For the Breakdancing scenes choreographer and cultural advisor Nemesis added authenticity and credibility to the production and brought together real breakdancing crews of today.
The dancers featured in the film were non-actors and all part of actual breaking crews. The team used non-traditional casting to tap into local NY breaking clubs, casting young kids, teenagers, and adults. Some of the film’s teenage cast are world champions within their age group. The graffiti featured is from NY icon graffiti artist KEO.
The campaign also features digital and OLV executions. Another major facet of the campaign will be two prominent pieces painted on the wallscape of 8th avenue, one of the largest OOH spaces in NYC, and one on the Bronx. The talent in the OOH features Alexis Holguin (aka Thriller), one of the breakdancers used in our film.
“This isn’t just a campaign; it’s about inspiring the world with a story of resilience, triumph, and spotting things early, and proving that if you do, whether it’s in your health or a sport, no victory is out of reach,” added McKelvey, co-founder and CCO.
Montefiore Einstein’s Comprehensive Cancer Center is among the elite 1% of NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the US and is ranked in the top 1% of all US hospitals for cancer care according to U.S. News & World Report.
Credits
BRAND: Montefiore Einstein
- Chief Marketing Officer: Loreen Babcock
AGENCY: Mirimar
- Chief Creative Officer: John McKelvey
- Managing Director: Luke McKelvey
- Executive Creative Director: Nick Morrissey
- Copywriter: Max Stinson
- Copywriter: Shannon Murphy
- Art Director: Derrick Ho
- Art Director: Chris Cavalieri
- Executive Producer: Benton Roman
- Executive Producer: Lizzy Harris
- Executive Producer: Cindy Perez
- Digital Producer: Jennifer Springer
- Account Director: Aleks Rzeznik
- Operations: BreAnna Wilson
- Photographer: Zach Gold
- Retouching: Jen Toro
- Production Designer: Alan Foster
- Designer: Todd King
- Business Affairs Manager: Librado Sanchez
- PR: Elizabeth Hess
MEDIA: Truform Media Group
PRODUCTION: Park Pictures US
- Director: Seb Edwards
- Executive Producer: Jackie Kelman Bisbee
- Executive Producer: Scott Howard
- Executive Producer: Caroline Kousidonis
- Head of Production: Anne Bobroff
- Head of Production: Chelsea Schwiering
- Producer: Laurie Boccaccio
- Director of Photography: Adam Arkapaw
- Production Designer: Akin McKenzie
- Costume Designer: Catherine George
- Casting: Cindy Estrada
- Casting: Susan Shopmaker
- Choreographer: Jamal “The Nemesis” Warren
- Choreographer: Ivan “Heat Rock One” Cofield
- Artist: KEO XMEN
POST/VFX: Time Based Arts
- VFX Lead: Stephen Grasso
- VFX Supervisor: David Mellor
- 2D Artist: Andre Dias
- 2D Artist: Bernie Varela
- 2D Artist: Billy Stockwell
- 2D Artist: Jack Long
- 2D Artist: Liam Doyle
- 2D Artist: Lucy Lawrence
- 2D Artist: Matt Shires
- 2D Artist: Ross Ferguson
- 2D Artist: Sarah Breakwell
- 2D Artist: Simon Melin
- 2D Artist: Viola Bascombe
- Colourist: Simone Grattarola
- Colourist: Tom Matthews
- VFX Producer: Chris Aliano
- VFX Producer: Mia Saunders
- VFX Producer: Josh Robison
EDIT: Cosmo, Trim Editing
- Editor: Tom Lindsay
- Editor: Milo Bennett
- Editor: Edward Schroer
- Executive Producer: Noreen Kha
- Executive Producer: Marie Mangahas
- Head of Production: Pamela Cohen
- Producer: Marcee Sanchez
MUSIC/AUDIO: 750mph
- Sound Designer: Sam Ashwell
- Sound Designer: Jake Ashwell
- Producer: Olivia Ray
MUSIC: Curation Music
- Music Supervisor: Sunny Kapoor
- Music: Connie Edwards
Voice Over:
- Rahiem
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