Why This Canadian Youth Support Organisation Showcased a Side of Sports We Don’t Always See
It’s been a busy summer for sports. The UEFA European Championship, the Copa América, and the Olympic Games have all taken place, with the Paralympic Games still to come later this month. So, to say we’ve seen our fair share of sports ads celebrating the prestige of competition and victory might be an understatement if we’re being totally honest.
But, there’s a lot more to sports than just glory. Sure, it’s marketable and it makes for easy, pleasant watching, but there’s another aspect of the athlete’s journey that doesn’t really see the light of day – that being the mental health side where even the most talented must wrestle with doubt, comparisons and criticism. It’s a lot to handle, and considering the fact that society often treats athletes as celebrities, heroes or aspirational figures, it’s important to be reminded that in reality, even if they can physically perform on another level, their brains are just like ours at the end of the day.
With this firmly in mind, Canadian charitable organisation and youth support system Kids Help Phone wanted to encourage young athletes to be open and seek help when needed. And to this end, it extended its ‘Feel Out Loud’ fundraising movement into the world of sports with the launch of a new hero spot created by McCann Canada and directed by Scouts Honour’s Mark Zibert. Set to Queen’s iconic ‘We Are the Champions’, it starts off like a traditional hype spot, before cutting away right at the climax and leaving viewers to contemplate an honest, rarely seen reflection of all the mental hardships athletes face when expected to perform at a top level. This is only made more poignant by the fact that it centres around well-known names, including Andre De Grasse, William Nylander, Marissa Papaconstantinou, Kelly Olynyk, Penny Oleksiak and Kia Nurse – a firm reminder that even champions need champions.
To learn more about just what it took to bring this all to life, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with McCann Canada creative director Athina Lalljee, as well as Kids Help Phone’s president and CEO, Katherine Hay, and senior vice president of brand, storytelling and communications, Rebecca Stutley, for a chat.
LBB> What was the brief for this campaign, and what immediate ideas came to mind?
Katherine> In March of 2023, Kids Help Phone launched ‘Feel Out Loud’, a national movement for youth mental health anchored by a fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $300 million to support young people in every corner of Canada. As part of this, Artists for Feel Out Loud, a collective of 50+ music artists from across Canada, recorded an anthem to kick off the campaign and help all young people express their emotions in a safe and supported way.
In an Olympic year, mobilising athletes behind ‘Feel Out Loud’ was a natural extension. The ups and downs of sport were some things we felt would strongly resonate with today’s youth. And the urgency of supporting youth mental health is increasing, not waning. Embedding KHP into young people’s worlds while we supported ‘Feel Out Loud’ led to the creative idea.
Athina> Specifically, this campaign was born out of a proactive idea that we had originally presented last summer. It continued to grow and evolve over time, finally lining up with the Olympics this year, which was a perfect fit.
LBB> Specifically, the idea of exposing the mental health struggles of athletes in a time when much on TV is about celebrating their journeys to the top is poignant. What made this the approach you wanted to take?
Athina> The glory athletes enjoy at the top of their game often outshines all the hard work, both physical and mental, it takes to get there. And for many young people, athletes aren’t just athletes, they’re heroes. Youth aspire to be like their favourite athletes, and understanding that even their heroes go through moments of self-doubt, anxiety and stress can help ease the pressure they experience. We wanted to remind them how important it is to take care of their mental health.
Rebecca> In the hero film, we see professional athletes alongside real youth go through the ups and downs of sport. It juxtaposes the glory, the trophies, and the success we often see, with the side of sport we usually don’t. So, especially in the lead up to the Olympics, it made sense to bring mental health to the top of minds of young people following along across Canada and present it to adults as an appeal for fundraising.
LBB> Building on this, what was the writing process like? How did you ensure the work would send a strong message?
Athina> Using Kids Help Phone’s iconic numbers ‘6-8’ as our creative device felt like a seamless link between the mental health support it offers (via the textline 686868) and the world of sport, where counting reps is common practice. The thread that ties the launch film together, from moments of glory to the challenges behind the scenes, is the repetition of ‘6-8’. We wanted it to echo throughout the spot as a reminder of the support that’s here for youth even when they may not feel like a ‘champion’. As for the end line, that went through several rewrites (as it usually does), but was ultimately revised to complement our song choice.
LBB> The spot was directed by Mark Zibert. What made him the right person for the job?
Athina> Mark’s ability to capture people and stories in their most authentic form shines through in his incredible body of work. That, paired with his experience on iconic sports brands and nonprofits, made him the perfect fit for this piece. We were blown away by his passion for the cause and dedication to the craft at every level; he was extremely generous and committed.
Our partners at Kids Help Phone said it best: after seeing the first rough cut, Mark was able to make the celebrity athletes feel human and make the youth feel like celebrities.
LBB> Speaking of celebrity athletes, how did you get the likes of Andre De Grasse, William Nylander, Kelly Olynyk, and Penny Oleksiak involved? And what was working with them like?
Katherine> Andre De Grasse, William Nylander, Marissa Papaconstantinou, Kelly Olynyk, Penny Oleksiak, and Kia Nurse are Kids Help Phone’s athlete ambassadors. Each of them has been vocal about the importance of mental health both in and outside of sports, and we are incredibly fortunate that they lent their voices and talents to ‘Feel Out Loud’.
While we’ve seen each reach the highest levels of their respective sports, what we don’t always see is the less glamorous side of sports, which includes doubt, comparisons, and criticism, and how one can overcome these challenges. In lending their voices to this campaign, they offer vulnerability and relatability to youth who may be struggling, and remind them they’re not alone and that there is always a safe place to let their feelings out.
Athina> Did you know Andre De Grasse is actually a campaign co-chair for the ‘Feel Out Loud’ fundraising campaign?
In terms of working with the athletes, it says a lot that even at one of the busiest times of their careers (playoffs and pre-Olympics), they all showed their dedication to the cause and were great to work with. They put in the work for the spot and also took the time to give interviews for our social content, alongside other campaign material that was unique to each of them.
LBB> And as a whole, what was the filming process like?
Athina> With so many athletes, scheduling was tricky, so we ended up having to shoot in bits and pieces across four days spread out over four weeks. While that brought some challenges, it also gave us the rare luxury of being able to build the edit along the way which helped inform the types of shots we were missing or needed more of.
LBB> Notably, the decision to cut away from the buildup of ‘We Are the Champions’ was brilliant. First, what inspired this song choice, and secondly, how did you work with the music team to ensure it would be used to further the subversion of expectations?
Athina> We knew we wanted an iconic song that would juxtapose our story, similar to the tracks we’ve all heard on typical sports commercials… except this time, it would be used to show a different side of the action. The initial mood film Mark created as part of his treatment was set to a track that did just that – it was an old-timey song that harped on about greatness. The mood of that song felt right and helped guide our search. So when the team at Grayson came back with ‘We Are The Champions’ on their list, it was a no-brainer.
The masterful use of the track really started in the edit room. Steve Puhach, our editor, had about 37 layers of audio before we could even get it over to Grayson. It was such an important part of the storytelling and we love how the song feels like a character in the spot. The team at Grayson took things even further with detailed sound design that includes whale sounds (yes, whale sounds) to make it truly cinema-worthy. Fun fact: the spot has been playing ahead of ‘Inside Out 2’ – a perfect fit considering the film’s audience and sports theme.
LBB> Did you learn any lessons in the making of this campaign?
Athina> Don’t be afraid to ask. Our budget didn’t exactly scream celebrity athletes, Mark Zibert and Queen, but we chased it all anyway. It’s easy to forget the generosity people are willing to show for a cause and creative opportunity they connect with – it’s always so humbling.
Rebecca> I think one of the most surprising and incredible things about this campaign was the sheer amount of support we received from everyone involved. From the athlete community to media partners to sports organisations, we felt an outpouring of encouragement. It’s clear the insight resonated with the community and so many rallied alongside us to spread the message.
LBB> Since launch, what has the initial response been like?
Athina> Tears, joy, all the feels. It’s been amazing to see how many people, across every age group, have connected with this work. From athletes like Christine Sinclair and Chris Boucher sharing the spot to young people engaging with it online, the campaign is resonating just as we’d intended. And there’s still more to come.
Rebecca> The response has been incredible! Since the launch, we’ve had over 100 athletes and sports organisations rally behind the ‘Feel Out Loud’ movement. We’ve even seen some of them depict the 686868 numbers on their hands and gear, providing even more visibility and awareness of Kids Help Phone.
LBB> Finally, is there a part of the campaign you’re especially proud of?
Athina> I still can’t believe we landed ‘We Are The Champions’ by Queen. Shout out to our copywriter, Megan Burrow, who wrote to them an endearing letter, and the amazing team at Grayson for making it happen.
Rebecca> The creative gives me goosebumps every time I watch it. My favourite moment is when ‘We Are The Champions’ cuts out and we begin to see the other side of sport that we usually don’t: the self-doubt, pressure, and the harmful inner critics that live in our heads. The vulnerability and raw emotion that follows is what makes the creative so impactful.
