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Under Armour
From stone to diamond. Celebratea rising icon as brand ambassador: be Tough like Tony.
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Tony Effe’s journey of growth and refinement – a process curiosly similar to the one of diamonds: those gems he loves to wear. Diamonds are the thoughest stones: prestine and beautiful, yet able to cut into the hardest materials, with ease. Born from coal – a dark matter – just as dark as the “Dark Polo Gang”: Tony’s first step in the music scene.
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A Journey of growth and vulnerability.
To be able to capture the true essence of Tony’s Journey to compete, we wanted to focus on the intrinsic aspects of work and win that are peculiar to every athletes practice. To do so, we created a visual framework that mixes rough and true images, presented as in action B/W shots, with more posed and refined ones, symbolizing the newly acheived status of Tony as Icon. The result is a storytelling that speaks into resilience but also vulnerability, because to be tough like a diamond one needs to be in touch with their authentic side.
Campaign Amplification
All the campaign assets than landed on out of home touchpoints, in the cities of Milan and Rome. The approach was to maximalize visibility, while being close to hot points of the cities, one being gae aulenti in Milan: house of the Under Armour Flagship store and Event venue for the final step of this creative journey.
As last touchpoint, a public event activation brought its guests under Tony’s armour, inside the UA Gae Aulenti Flagship store. A meet and greet experience was transformed into an immersive activation, using the branded elements from the campaign, to customize the space in a iconic way.
This project has been built on a dynamic three-way collaboration between Circular, Under Armour, and Tony Effe. Each partner brought its unique strengths and vision to the table: Circular provided creative direction and project management, ensuring seamless execution; Under Armour contributed its brand ethos and innovative products, anchoring the campaign in sport and lifestyle; and Tony Effe added his authenticity and star power, embodying the narrative of transformation and resilience.
The aim has been the creation of a communication campaign and a give-back event to introduce Tony Effe as Under Armour's Brand Ambassador for 2024, reinforcing the brand's positioning at the intersection of sport and lifestyle. The “Rise to Shine” campaign narrates Tony Effe's growth journey, showcasing how, through hard work (in both sports and music), he becomes an ICON.
Using the metaphor of coal transforming into a diamond (his favorite stone, which he always wears), we developed a storytelling that connects with the brand's core message—celebrating both victory and the arduous journey to achieve it, marked by sweat, defeats, and effort. The final event solidifies this connection between the icon, the brand, and the product through a give-back activity for Tony Effe's community.
The challenge of this project lies within its opportunity: working with a high-profile celebrity, adapting to his pace, and seamlessly aligning it with the production timeline for both the campaign and the event. Being part of such a significant project has been incredibly inspiring.
The aim has been the creation of a communication campaign and a give-back event to introduce Tony Effe as Under Armour's Brand Ambassador for 2024, reinforcing the brand's positioning at the intersection of sport and lifestyle. The “Rise to Shine” campaign narrates Tony Effe's growth journey, showcasing how, through hard work (in both sports and music), he becomes an ICON.
Using the metaphor of coal transforming into a diamond (his favorite stone, which he always wears), we developed a storytelling that connects with the brand's core message—celebrating both victory and the arduous journey to achieve it, marked by sweat, defeats, and effort. The final event solidifies this connection between the icon, the brand, and the product through a give-back activity for Tony Effe's community.
The challenge of this project lies within its opportunity: working with a high-profile celebrity, adapting to his pace, and seamlessly aligning it with the production timeline for both the campaign and the event. Being part of such a significant project has been incredibly inspiring.
Services
Industry
Sportswear
Credits
Campaign Photographer
Alessandro Simonetti
Campaign Director
Enrico Cerovac
Campaign Director of Photography
Francesco Rosiglioni
Pegaso MGMT
Andrea Cavalagli
Davide D’Agostino
Sara Lamparelli
Tony Effe Crew Member
Gaetano Fidanzati
Morgan Moricca
Stylist
Antonio Pulvirenti
Make-up Artist
Riccardo Morandin
Hair Stylist
Leon Gorman