Hasta La Ideas

When a ref has a decision to make on the football field, it’s de rigeur these days in the professional game for players to gather round and vent their spleen, often using foul and abusive language. Last week agency BETC London released this web film designed to address an increasing lack of respect shown to referees and other match officials in professional football.

The film, written and created by a group of fathers working in the advertising industry, shows a class of school children respond aggressively and abusively to a teacher. The idea is that the film prompts viewers to sign a pledge with the following copy that appears at its end: “Millions of kids watch the beautiful game every week. Now players, managers and parents can sign a pledge to help set a better example.”

“It is appalling how rife awful behaviour has become in the game,” says Matthew Charlton CEO at BETC London. “We see everyday how it influences our impressionable kids and it occurred to us that we were in a position to do something about it.”

More info about the campaign can be found at facebook.com/KeepFootyBeautiful

Keep Footy Beautiful credits

Client: Matthew Charlton, CEO, BETC London
Director: Johnny Maginn
Production Co: Mustard Films
Producer: John Doris
Editor: Simon WiIlcox
Post production: Golden Square
Sound design: Pure Soho
DoP: Darren Tiernan