‘Tis the season for ads that make you cry. This one comes from an unexpected place. Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 team is bidding an emotional farewell to Lewis Hamilton in its global campaign by AMV BBDO. It is quite an entrance by AMV BBDO, its first campaign after winning the Mercedes F1 Team account through competitive pitch.
The campaign, Every Dream Needs a Team, has launched as the 2024 F1 season comes to a close at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday December 8. It honours the seven-time world champion’s remarkable career and his legendary partnership with the F1 team while championing the sport’s future through the eyes of the next generation. The bond between Hamilton and Mercedes is unique, the longest and most successful partnership in Formula One history.
The hero commercial, directed by Prettybird’s Melina Matsoukas, blends archival footage of Hamilton provided by F1, interwoven with scenes featuring aspiring dreamers of diverse ages and backgrounds, reflecting the impact of his career on their own aspirations; and it includes original commentary from some of the team’s most memorable moments.
Every Dream Needs a Team to an outdoor campaign featuring photography of Hamilton and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team at landmarks in Kuala Lumpur, the UK, and the US, including locations such as Times Square. Over the race weekend in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton will carry the campaign message on his car, underscored with the names of 150 fans, representing the millions of loyal followers who have been part of his journey.
Team Principal & CEO, Toto Wolff, also recorded an open voice note for Hamilton, distributed via WhatsApp, offering heartfelt parting words and advice. A modern-day equivalent of an open letter, the note captures Toto’s perspective as both a leader and a friend.
Bradley Lord, chief communications officer at Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, stated, “Lewis has been an integral part of our team for more than a decade, and part of the Mercedes-Benz motorsport family for over 25 years. ‘Every Dream Needs a Team’ is more than a farewell—it’s a celebration of everything we’ve achieved together and a message to the next generation that teamwork is at the heart of every great story. We’re incredibly proud to share this campaign with the world as we honour Lewis’ incredible journey and achievements.”
AMV Group CEO, Xavier Rees, commented, “It’s a real privilege to partner with one of sport’s most iconic teams, at a time when F1’s popularity is soaring. ‘Every dream needs a team’ is a brilliant organising idea that we look forward to developing more over time”.
AMV BBDO executive creative director Laura Rogers, added, “A loved family member leaving to go out into the world. The bittersweet end of a beautiful partnership. Victories mixed with moments that were never meant to be. All while the next generation waits in the wings. Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are more than an F1 story; this is the great opera of life unfolding at 200 miles per hour. We’re honoured to be a part of it.”
The farewell film and messages will be shared across Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team social channels and amplified by its partners and other stakeholders in the sport.
Credits:
Client: Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team
Client Team: Bradley Lord, Stuart Lakin, Peter Routh & Hayley Longhurst
Creative Agency: AMV BBDO
CCOs: Nicholas Hulley & Nadja Lossgott
Executive Creative Director: Laura Rogers
Creative Team (Film): Anzhela Hayrabedyan & Luca Grosso
Creative Team (OOH and Social): Alex Cesar & Hugo Catraio
Design Team: Oreoluwa (Abby) Ayoade & Richard Holgate
Motion Team: Tom Harris & Frankie Leeks
Planning: Martin Weigel
Account Team: Xavier Rees, Alexandra Sandford Smith, Georgia Phillips & Harry Frohlich
Production Team: Rebecca Scharf, Meg Everett, Maggie Scriven & Anwar Meah
Media Agency: OMD
Production Company: Prettybird
Director: Melina Matsoukas
Producer: Hannah Cooper
Production Manager: Lucy Tate
Sound Production: Wave Studios
Sound Engineer: Parv Thind & Munzi Thind
Music: Soundtree
Additional Music Production & Arrangement: Luis Almau
Post-Production: Daydreamer
2D Lead: Pete Rypstra
2D: Rod Norman 2D
Producer: Chris Allen
Production Assistant: Eliza Light
Grading: Color Collective
Colourist: Alex Bickel
Post-Production: POD LDN
Founder: Adrienn Major
Post-Producer: Valeria Salas Montero
Retoucher: Richard Toth
