Cat-like humans are excited by a huge rolling ball of yarn. They become a mob chasing it through the city. It’s a wonderful metaphor that allowed TBWA\Paris to create a stunningly cinematic film and Winamax, France’s leading poker and sports betting website, to focus on what has made it such a success – it shows a straightforward view of gambling but in a spectacular way.
The campaign reminds the French that Winning is Everything.
The film was influenced by various cinematographic references (Asian action films, US blockbusters…). It features a song written and released in 1954 and first heard in the musical, The Pajama Game. It was performed by many artists including the Johnston Brothers and brought back to life in Guy Ritchie’s cult film, Snatch.
In a market where players value gambling through the excitement it brings, Winamax simply reminds people that the primary motivation when playing money is to win some.
The campaign film is being broadcast on TV in France in 60- and 30-second versions, as well as online, supported by a national poster campaign built around original drawings by Chinese illustrator, Shan Jiang. These posters also represent the immediacy of this visceral desire to win, by transporting the world of the film into illustrations.
Benjamin Marchal & Faustin Claverie, creative directors at TBW\Paris, stated, “When you’re a leader you can’t just lean on a flashy advert and popularity. With The Ball of Yarn we wanted to break gambling conventions with a film and a poster campaign that no other brand than Winamax could have produced.”
Jonathan Serog, general director at TBWA\PARIS, added, “What we liked in this race to win is that it remains true and authentic about gambling. Because it’s not just a game… contrary to what some people would have us believe, you don’t make a bet just to have fun or to spice up your match… and certainly not just for the beauty of it. You bet to win, players know it…and so does Winamax.”
Mathieu Porri, communications director at Wimamax, commented, “Gambling isn’t like any other game. It’s a game for adults where the primary motivation is to win. The objective was for the agency to illustrate this new positioning in a masterful way.”
Credits
Client: Winamax
Client Team: Alexandre Roos, Christophe Schaming, Mathieu Porri, Aurélien Guiglini, Julien Huber
Agency: TBWA\Paris
Executive Creative Directors: Benjamin Marchal, Faustin Claverie
Copywriter: Swann Richard
Art Director: François Claux
Account Team: Jonathan Serog, Matthieu Charles, Florian Pecquery
Head of Planning: Nicolas Orsoni
CEO\Else & Head of TV Production: Maxime Boiron
Creative Producer: Lorraine Poincignon
Head of Intellectual Property: Caroline Paillard-Walter
Production Company: Solab
Director: Romain Chassaing
Producer : Edouard Chassaing
Line Producer: Théo Jourdain
DoP: Matias Boucard
Shoot Supervisor: Etienne Salançon
2d Lead Artists: Michael Marques, Jonathan Lagache, Ingmar Renouardiere
3d Lead Artist: Sylvain Sarradin
Editor: Manu Coutant
Grading: Arthur Paux
Post Producers: Elise Gamboa, Sébastien Voisin
Head of Music & Sound: Olivier Lefebvre
Music & Sound Producer: Fabrice Pouvreau, Fanny Mithois
Sound Engineer: Alexandre Robieux, Romaine Personné
Sound Coordinator: Mélissandre Mons
Music: Ferdinand Huet
Music Business Affairs: Constance Duhourcau, Marion Le Guluche
Original Music: Hernando’s Hideaway
Author & Composer : Paroles & Musique De Jerry Ross & Richard Adler
Artist: The Johnston Brothers
Editors: Lakshmi Puja Music Ltd & J And J Ross Co
Master Owner: Warner Chappell Music France
