Montefiore Einstein Tells a Bold Breakdancing Story for 2024 Paris Olympics Campaign

Today, Montefiore Einstein, New York, partnered with award-winning creative agency MIRIMAR (LA and NY) to develop a breakthrough campaign for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The campaign draws the unexpected parallel of how early detection, be it in sports or in cancer, leads to better outcomes. 

The campaign line speaks for itself - Talent is best if spotted early. So is cancer. Cleverly aligning Montefiore Einstein as the official sponsor of spotting it early. 

The film "Spot it Early" - a young breakdancer's eye for talent illustrates that when it comes to cancer and talent, it's all about spotting it early, and if you do, no victory is out of reach.

Montefiore Einstein’s Comprehensive Cancer Center is among the elite 1% of NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centres in the US, and is ranked in the top 1% of all US hospitals for cancer care according to U.S. News & World Report.

The campaign taps into an authentic cultural connection: Both breakdancing and Montefiore Einstein were born in The Bronx, New York. Today, as we approach the 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony, Montefiore Einstein is making its Summer Olympics debut in Paris with its two-minute broadcast film in the Opening Ceremony. Breakdancing, which got its start just steps away from Montefiore Einstein in The Bronx, will also be making its debut as an Olympic sport. 

The hero two-minute broadcast film and accompanying 2:30 online film were created by agency MIRIMAR, and features an authentic homage and celebration of The Bronx and breaking culture in the late '70s and early '80s. 

“It was a privilege to tell this story. Everyone from Loreen Babcock the CMO who truly embraced the idea, all the way to the entire team that crafted it were united in striving to make a campaign worthy of this moment. The director Seb Edwards was excellent and we all felt the responsibility to do it right” said John McKelvey co-founder and CCO of MIRIMAR.

Narrated by Bronx icon, hip-hop pioneer and hall of fame rapper Rahiem from Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, the film tells the story of a young boy, Reece, whose eye for spotting talent and love for breakdancing saw the opportunity that breaking could have in his community in the South Bronx. 

As you move through the film, you are catapulted back to the South Bronx and the Loews Paradise Theatre watching the growth of breaking that leads to Reece’s success story. 

As the film ends, an older Reece, the now-breakdancing legend looks upon another young hopeful as the journey continues to the Olympics, 2024. 

The film features a Cameo appearance from Bronx hip-hop Icon Grandmaster Caz as the talent show host and features Pep - C who is on the USA’s national Breaking Team. 

The film was directed by Sports Emmy Award-Winner Seb Edwards of Park Pictures and shot by multi Emmy Award-Winning Cinematographer Adam Arkapaw. The team was meticulous with their craft and attention to detail creating material so true to the period many thought it was 80’s cinema, and not shot on location in The Bronx in 2024. For the Breakdancing scenes choreographer and cultural advisor Nemesis added authenticity and credibility to the production and brought together real breakdancing crews of today. 

The dancers featured in the film were non actors and all part of actual breaking crews. The team used non-traditional casting to tap into local NY breaking clubs, casting young kids, teenagers, and adults. Some of the film’s teenage cast are world champions within their age group. The Graffiti featured is from NY icon graffiti artist KEO. 

The campaign also features digital, and OLV executions. Another major facet of the campaign will be two prominent pieces painted on the wallscape of 8th avenue, one of the largest OOH spaces in NYC, and one on the Bronx. The talent in the OOH features Alexis Holguin (aka Thriller), one of the breakdancers used in our film. 

The campaign’s microsite claims Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center has been Battling Since The Beginning - a powerful unifying statement for both breakdancing and also successfully beating cancer.

"This isn’t just a campaign; it’s about inspiring the world with a story of resilience, triumph and spotting things early, and proving that if you do, whether it's in your health or a sport, no victory is out of reach." said John McKelvey, co-founder and CCO.