Gillette approached the agency with two goals for driving business in 2014. Using two of the most successful competitors in the world, we hit both goals in one shot.

The brand was introducing a new line of international razors underscoring Gillette’s commitment to football (soccer), and a new global brand ambassador, football superstar Lionel Messi. They wanted a video to make the introductions, but it had to navigate some tricky territory. This would be the first video content produced and globally distributed by Gillette. It needed to include longtime brand ambassador Roger Federer, a legend in a different sport. It needed to show shaving and the line of razors, but it had to be a natural extension of the creative concept. It needed enough chemistry to inspire viral sharing around the world, and had to make sense in any language. And scheduling prevented Messi and Federer from appearing in the same shoot.

No problem. Although Messi and Federer came from different sports, they share the same competitive “inner steel” that drives them to be the best. You could imagine them bringing that quality to anything they did. That insight fuelled “Trading Places,” a video featuring two of the greatest competitors in the world, engaged in athletic fantasies that transcended sports and international borders, all unlocked by a mysterious briefcase full of razors.

Premiering on February 2, 2014, with a global media event in Barcelona, “Trading Places” quickly racked up nearly 20 million YouTube views and unprecedented regional coverage, helping Gillette achieve customer shipments 20% above forecast.

Busy schedules required shooting Messi and Federer at different locations. But movie magic allowed us to bring them together at the fantastical “Centre of the Superior Athlete.” A mysterious case of country-themed razors gave them superhuman transport to another sport. CGI face recognition technology let us transport them anywhere in the world, from sumo wrestling in Japan, to auto racing in Italy. By the end, two of the most competitive faces in the world had demonstrated their inner steel and ended up perfectly clean-shaven. The 2:00 wordless video had just the right edge, and made its well-branded point in every possible language.

The 2:00 video “Trading Places” spoke the language of our target consumer without uttering a word, and quickly racked up nearly 20 million views in an astounding 228 countries.

Lionel Messi surprised global press with an unprecedented personal appearance to premiere “Trading Places” and the new international razor line in Barcelona before 130 media from over 20 countries, helping drive hundreds of millions of impressions in earned media coverage for Gillette.

The video reached the most viewed in YouTube lists across multiple markets, earned engagement 35 – 40% above Gillette’s benchmark, and helped drive shipments of the special edition razors by more than 20% above initial forecasts.