Voltarol recently announced the launch of its new campaign “More than Movement” to promote the brand in partnership with Channel 4 and GAY TIMES. The partnership, brokered by Publicis Media’s platformGSK and Publicis Media Content, features a bespoke film, commissioned by Channel 4 and produced by GAY TIMES.
The film (below) celebrates the story of Oriance Lungu, a queer British/Zambian boxer from East London, who holds the current National Champion title and is on her way to being a professional in the sport. Her story celebrates connection, community and confidence, as well as highlights the ongoing need for support of LGBTQ+ spaces in sport, given that women could only box professionally ten years ago.
We also hear from Jill LeFlour, a passionate trans boxer who attends an LGBTQ+ community session at Rathbone Boxing Club in London, a gym that they knew would accept them, where they feel comfortable to train and be themselves. However, Rathbone’s LGBTQ+ community sessions have come to an end due to lack of funding which showcases the importance of funding for inclusive spaces even more.
This year’s partnership with Voltarol saw a £10,000 donation go to Pride Sports to support their work in Birmingham around Pride House. In particular, it will go towards funding a Sporting Pride Conference, which will deliver a day of workshops, funding clinics and networking sessions for LGBTQ+ sports groups and networks. It will also allow Pride Sports to run some LGBTQ+ boxing taster sessions throughout the summer with the aim of establishing a local boxing club in Birmingham.
To go a little deeper on the campaign, the video at its heart and the ongoing partnership, we spoke to Hannah Ford, Brand Manager for Voltarol, at GSK, Tag Warner, CEO, GAY TIMES Group and Laura Marks, Digital Commissioning Editor at Channel 4.
What was the brief?
Create a partnership that combines the credibility and authenticity of GAY TIMES with the power and prestige of Channel 4’s strive for D&I as well as it’s huge reach in mainstream media and social first audiences.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
As this was Voltarol’s third year with GT, the opportunity to create a mini documentary felt like a natural extension of the previous two campaigns. In 2020, GT created a series of UGC films with contributors selected from Pride Sports, in 2021, the team created a love letter to movement in partnership with film director, Emily McDonald.
Channel 4 and GT joined forces to submit a combined response for 2022 that delivered on the brief and presented the opportunity and power in collaboration between multiple partners.
What was the process behind ideating the concept?
GT worked closely with Pride Sports, the charity partner, to find and identify potential story routes.
GT and Channel 4 lead the creative process, with GT drawing on its successes and learnings from the previous year’s campaigns with Voltarol. We all collectively knew this was a story that needed to be told, so for all of us, it was easy in what we needed to achieve in the initial pitch - to create a film that started a conversation that others are yet to have within mainstream media.
What was the production process like?
The production process was a fun challenge for GAY TIMES as it was the first time we had worked with a broadcast partner as well as create a TVC. So it was an exciting experience which allowed us to learn more about the process of getting set up to work with such an iconic partner as Channel 4.
What was the biggest challenge during production? How did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge during production was finding people who were willing to tell their story on camera to such a wide audience. We initially started looking for sports clubs to feature. Yet COVID made it difficult to find people willing to come forward, who felt comfortable enough to share their stories, who hadn’t been featured in other campaigns and wanted to be involved despite COVID restrictions, meaning a lot of clubs couldn’t take part.
We overcame the challenge by speaking with Pride Sports for call outs to their clubs/individuals as well as working with casting directors and doing our own personal outreach to various sports clubs all over London to find the right story.
What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production?
That the sound mix was created by the director’s kickboxing coach, Bobby, who was coached to box by Oriance, the boxer the documentary centres on. The punch sounds you hear in the video were created by a boxing foley session Bobby and Oriance had in 2015.
What’s the main message of this project and why does it matter?
That for some members of the LGBTQ+ community – their sport/passion/hobby is more than movement. It’s their support network, it’s their place to feel like they belong, it’s their chosen family, it’s their way of expressing who they truly are. The story celebrates connection, community and confidence, as well as highlighting the ongoing need for support of LGBTQ+ spaces in sport.
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
A little under a year.
What do you hope it achieves for the brand?
We hope it shows the commitment that GSK has to supporting the LGBTQ+ community by telling real life stories on how important safe spaces are, by continuing to collaborate with Pride Sports, a UK organisation which challenges LGBT+phobia in sport and improves access to sport for all LGBT+ people across the world.
We also hope it shows that being fit and healthy is about more than just movement, it’s about being part of a network, being confident and feeling supported in your sport. We want to be able to enjoy movement – it helps us stay connected with friends and loved ones, makes us happy and helps us overcome isolation and adversity.
Celebrating these stories demonstrates the importance of having effective healthcare to continue moving and speaks to the importance of inclusivity in sport.
Credit list for the work?
GAY TIMES
Sophie Christophersen, Senior Producer, GAY TIMES
Annabelle Moore, Senior Client Services Manager, GAY TIMES
Josh Fletcher, Executive Creative Director, GAY TIMES
Tiffany Gumbrell, Partnerships Director, GAY TIMES
Talent
Jade Ang Jackman, Director
Kai Blamey, DOP
Agathe Barbier, Editor
Bobby Taliesin, Sound Mix
Oriance Lungu and Jill LeFlour, talent
Channel 4
Chris Birch, Project and Production Manager, Channel 4
Laura Marks, Senior Digital Commissioning Editor, Channel 4
Jordan Harvey, Group Content Manager, Channel 4
GSK
Hannah Ford, Voltarol Brand Manager, GSK
Gwyneth Hutchings, Regulatory Affairs Manager, GSK
Publicis Media (PlatformGSK and PMC)
Ben Mitchell, Partnerships Manager, Publicis Media Content
Joshua Herbert, Partnerships Manager, Publicis Media Content
Tom Wilkinson, Head of Content and Strategy Direction, PlatformGSK
George Pearcy, Account Director, PlatformGSK
Tijana Teodorovic, Account Executive, PlatformGSK
