MAM
adidas film celebrates differences at UEFA Euro 2020
Mumbai: Apparel brand adidas unveiled the first in a series of short films, as part of its new UEFA EURO 2020 campaign to inspire fans, players, and communities to build a more positive and inclusive world by celebrating the differences that make people unique.
The rallying cry began on Friday with the pre-tournament short film calling all athletes and fans together to celebrate, and push for, inclusivity through football. The film focuses on the unique power football has in bringing people together and creating opportunities to drive positive change, beyond the pitch and within society.
Through the film, players from the world over are seen playing in an exhibition of the Niforia, the official match ball of UEFA EURO 2020TM. Launched to complement the original tournament timings, the ball offers homage to the coming together of teams of footballers from different countries and varied origins, bearing the coordinates of several stadiums that will host the momentous and incredible European sporting history.
adidas football head of global brand marketing Matt Davidson said: “Since we started on the journey towards UEFA Euro 2020TM, a lot has changed, but one thing that hasn’t has been the excitement for a major tournament. Perhaps the excitement for this tournament is even greater than normal, due to what the world has been through. UEFA Euro 2020TM will show us once again what is possible when we come together & celebrate the power of sport – the thrills, the emotion, the respect. The Uniforia ball remains a symbol for how we can unite through sport & culture, and also celebrate what makes us different.”
The campaign is part of adidas’ wider refreshed brand attitude to inspire optimism with action against the key focuses of sustainability, inclusivity, and credibility. It encourages us all to see the world, not as it is today, but how it could be.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
