Electrifying Samsung Campaign Transforms Runners into Anime-Inspired Heroes

Great Guns Director, Tal Zagreba, directs a rousing new Samsung campaign for the Tel Aviv Marathon, created by Leo Burnett and co-produced by Great Guns. The film celebrates the launch of the ‘Samsung Calories Marathon’, which introduces a charitable spin to Israel’s biggest annual sports event: the more calories the runners burn, the more food products Samsung donates to the needy. 

The animated 30-second film takes viewers on an electrifying journey alongside the marathon runners. The film cleverly weaves together food and sport with action-packed framing and vibrant colours. The runners are transformed into heroic figures who zigzag to avoid colossal cans of food and activate energy power-ups that propel them towards the finish line.

Samsung teamed up with Israel’s largest soup kitchen, Pitchon Lev, which services over 250,000 Israelis each year with food products and basic needs. Samsung has pledged to match each calorie burnt with a similar calorie-rich food product it will donate on runners’ behalf to the organisation. Runners will be outfitted with a special band that will monitor how many calories have been raised and burnt – these will be displayed in real time in Tel Aviv’s central Rabin Square. The public will also be invited to get involved through branded treadmill stations throughout the city, where they will be able to donate their calories to those in need.

Director, Tal Zagreba, was tasked with evoking a powerful marathon experience through a minimalistic approach using only the marathon’s logo and Samsung’s logo colours. In developing the right look, Tal and animation director, Robert Moreno, were inspired by the Japanese anime they loved as children, such as The Animatrix, Akira and Mob Psycho 100. 

Tal comments: “This is my third collaboration with Leo Burnett and it has been a true pleasure each time. Adam Polachek [CEO] and Ami Alush [CCO] are brilliant people with real guts – with them, I always know that there’s something special on the table. This time, a visual immediately came to mind of products evolving from the runners’ sweat. The guys loved the idea and gave me complete creative freedom to fulfil my vision.”

Says Tal: “I then pitched my vision to Robert Moreno - the best animation director I know and a dear friend – and ignited his enthusiasm. At concept art stage, we enlisted two talented friends, Tim Razumovsky and Niv Shpigel. We presented the project to the awesome guys from Samsung, who got really enthusiastic about our visuals - but warned us that we’d only have three weeks to deliver the final video! We accepted the challenge and, from that moment on, the real marathon started. Creating the animation from scratch in such a short time frame was a nearly impossible mission. It was a real crazy ride and there were many sleepless nights - but thanks to a highly motivated crew of talented people, we made it.”