MLSE and the Toronto Raptors reached out to //kneeon to help create the hero video for their partnership with Smirnoff and their "North Marks the Spot" campaign. The video tells the story of The Originals, a fictional group of iconoclastic fans who have followed the Raptors since their inception. Their outsider DNA has woven its way through the unofficial history of the team ever since the Raptors were formed in 1995. And who better to tell the story of The Originals than the first-ever Raptors draft pick Damon Stoudamire. We created a mixed-media collage-style animation to help recreate major moments, both real and imagined, from the past 26 years as the Raptors went from being an outsider basketball team playing in a hockey town to beloved NBA champions.
Want to become a member of The Originals? The campaign is full of fan experiences, give-aways, video content and signature cocktail recipes that are all unlocked for a limited time by scanning Smirnoff bottles through the Raptors app.
Animation Direction, Design, Animation
Animation Directed by: //kneeon
Design: Leo Franchi
Animation: Alex Covella, Leo Franchi, Pavelas Laptevas
Supervising Producer: Paul Matthews, MLSE
