Press Release from Absolute

In keeping with its brash New York sensibility, SportsNet New York (SNY) is launching a new series of ads under the banner "More Sports. More Testosterone," conceived by Ogilvy & Mather New York to promote the networks extensive coverage of the total New York sports scene.

This new campaign comes on the heels of the network's award-winning campaign "NY NY Sports Sports" and touts SNY as the official TV home of the New York Mets, Jets and Big East Conference.

As SNY's audience is predominantly men, the ads were created to target the male demographic with a provocative tone. The new campaign features a series of ads that depict the positive impact watching sports has on a man's testosterone levels with one ad showcasing how it has a positive impact on a man's libido and another on muscle development.

"We thought that there would be an obvious relationship between watching sports and testosterone levels," explained Debbie Kasher, Ogilvy Creative Director in explaining how they came up with the idea for the campaign. Her partner Arturo Gigante said, "We googled 'watching sports and testosterone' and found a study from the University of Utah that actually validated our positioning."

Shot by Smith & Jones Director Ulf Johansson, with VFX from Absolute Post, "More Sports, More Testosterone" launches this week with Muscles, which shows how watching SNY builds muscles as a skinny guy transforms into a muscle-bound dude. Absolute went to work on this spot by grafting a non-muscled head on to a meathead body to create this scene. Libido shows the impact watching sports has on a just married couple - 95 year-old Leopold and his much younger trophy wife. As the older man watches SNY, he quickly tires out his new bride and the ad closes with a shot of her gasping on his oxygen tank. The last spot in the campaign, Sasquatch, stars a hairless sports fanatic Brad, who sprouts a wild animal-worthy coat of fur as he watches SNY. Absolute filled out his mane and created the spark and smoke emitting from the lawnmower-esque machine Brad uses to shave his growth. The studio also added sports to the TVs in each spot.

"We fell in love with this idea the minute we saw it," said Marie DeParis from SNY. "As always, our partners at Ogilvy captured the essence of our brand's in-depth coverage of New York sports in a campaign that is humorous and right on target."

Credits:
Client: SportsNet New York
Spot Title(s): Muscles, Libido, Sasquatch
Air Date: May 2011

Agency: Ogilvy & Mather NY
CD(s): Arturo Gigante, Debbie Kasher
EP: Lisa Christman

Prod Co: Smith & Jones
Director: Ulf Johansson
DP: Steve Keith-Roach
EP: Philipa Smith
Producer: Polly Leach

Editorial Co: Peepshow
Editor: Andrea Macarthur
EP: Deborah Sullivan
Producer: Desiree Cobb

Post/Effects Co: Absolute Post
Lead Flame: Nathan Kane
Flame Assist: Krissy Nordella
EP: Sally Heath
Producer: Mitch Stockwell

Telecine Co: Company 3
Colorist: Tim Masic

Audio Post Co: Sound Lounge
Mixer: Tom Jucarone

Shoot Location: London

About Absolute:
Founded in 2004 by David Smith, one of the world's leading Flame artists, Absolute is a high-end VFX studio working within the commercial, emerging media, music video, and film communities. With offices in New York and London, Absolute over the years has collected numerous industry accolades including two BTAA awards, a D&AD pencil, a Cannes Lion, an APA Collection Diamond, three Andy wins and an MTV video statue. The New York office opened in 2007, helmed by CD Dirk Greene, to further facilitate Absolute's international client roster with a growing Flame and CG service.

About Ogilvy: