SUB CATEGORY :

FICTION & NON-FICTION FILM: UP TO 5 MINUTES

ENTRANT COMPANY :

BIGTIME CREATIVE SHOP, RIYADH

TITLE :

TOUCHING HANDS

BRAND :

RIYADH SEASON

ADVERTISER :

GENERAL ENTERTAINMENT AUTHORITY

AGENCY :

BIGTIME CREATIVE SHOP, RIYADH

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER :

MOHAMMED SEHLY

CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER :

RAYYAN AOUN

ART DIRECTOR :

GUSTAVO BILESIMO

HEAD OF CREATIVE & INNOVATION OPERATIONS :

EHAB ARMANIOUS

AGENCY PRODUCER :

INAS NAGY

SENIOR BUSINESS DIRECTOR :

ZIAD CHEHAB

DIRECTOR :

GUY RITCHIE

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY :

ED WILD

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR :

JOE GEARY

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER :

CHRIS BARRETT/DAVE MORRISON/JANI GUEST

FILM PRODUCER :

ANNABEL RIDLEY

PRODUCTION DESIGNER :

SOPHIE BECHER

STUNT COORDINATOR :

MARK MOTTRAM

COSTUME DESIGNER :

LOULOU BONTEMPS

EDITOR :

PATRIC RYAN

ASSISTANT EDITOR :

HANNAH YERBURY

COLORIST :

JEAN-CLEMENT SORET (COMPANY 3)/
MATTHIEU TOULLET (COMPANY 3)

POST PRODUCER :

FAY BUTLER

MIXER :

SAM ASHWELL

MUSIC COMPOSER :

‘SWEET CAROLINE’ WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY NEIL DIAMOND

MUSIC SUPERVISION :

DAVE GOULDING/THE MUSIC LAB

REMIX & ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION :

JACK CHOWN

OTHER SOUND PRODUCTION CREDITS :

COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL MUSIC AND UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUBLISHING

CAMPAIGN SUMMARY :

Riyadh Season, Saudi Arabia’s entertainment powerhouse, announced its biggest boxing event outside the Kingdom—at Wembley, the home of British boxing. But being a sponsor wasn’t enough. The challenge was clear: how to win over British boxing fans and become part of the sport’s culture. The answer lay in music. Sweet Caroline is more than a song in the UK—it’s a tradition, a unifier, a shared moment of passion in stadiums. So, Riyadh Season didn’t just use it; they redefined it, turning it into the ultimate boxing anthem. With Guy Ritchie directing and featuring stars like Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois, the campaign transformed a nostalgic melody into a battle cry of resilience and triumph. Wembley sold out—twice. The song echoed beyond the film, uniting fans in the stadium and online. Riyadh Season didn’t just host a fight; it became part of British boxing history.

CREATIVITY/IDEA/INSIGHT :

Riyadh Season needed to go beyond sponsorship and become part of British boxing culture. The insight? Music is the heartbeat of sport. In the UK, Sweet Caroline is more than a song—it’s a fan ritual, an anthem of unity and resilience. Instead of using it as background music, we redefined its meaning, turning it into the ultimate boxing battle cry. A song once sung in celebration became a symbol of defiance, grit, and triumph. The campaign’s emotional remake of Sweet Caroline, combined with Guy Ritchie’s raw storytelling and Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois, and other top fighters, created a cinematic experience that blended music, sport, and culture. The film amplified Riyadh Season’s message, making it feel embedded in the sport, not just sponsoring it. It reached beyond the ring, driving fan engagement, selling out Wembley twice, and solidifying Riyadh Season’s place in boxing history.

STRATEGY :

British boxing fans are among the most loyal, passionate, and tradition-driven in sports. Winning them over required more than a fight—it demanded an emotional connection. The insight? Music is as much a part of sports culture as the game itself. Sweet Caroline is a British sporting anthem, uniting fans in moments of triumph and resilience. By redefining its meaning from celebration to a fighter’s battle cry, we created an emotional bridge between Riyadh Season and the UK boxing community. The strategy wasn’t just about a film; it was about owning a moment. The campaign extended beyond the screen—fans sang it in stadiums, engaged online, and turned it into a movement. The film didn’t just promote the event; it made Riyadh Season part of the conversation. By speaking the fans’ language, Riyadh Season wasn’t just accepted—it was embraced, proving that true cultural integration beats traditional sponsorship.

EXECUTION :

The campaign launched with a cinematic, high-impact film directed by Guy Ritchie, blending his signature gritty storytelling with the emotional power of Sweet Caroline. Featuring Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois, and top fighters, the film redefined the anthem as a battle cry for resilience. Implementation & Timeline: September 5, 2024 – Film release across digital, social, and broadcast platforms. Fight Week Build-Up – Strategic content drops, behind-the-scenes, and fighter-led promotions. September 21, 2024 – The fight at Wembley, where Sweet Caroline erupted as 98,000 fans sang in unison. Placement & Scale: The film was amplified across TV, digital, and social, with partnerships driving organic reach through influencer engagement and sports media. Beyond marketing, the anthem became part of the fight experience, turning Riyadh Season into more than just a sponsor—it became part of British boxing history.

RESULT :

The campaign’s goal was to embed Riyadh Season into British boxing culture—and it delivered beyond expectations. Reach & Engagement: 47.3 million impressions across digital and social platforms. 954K engagements, with fans actively participating in the conversation. 599K audience directly impacted, engaging through content, shares, and live experience. +26 million in earned media, proving the organic cultural relevance of the campaign. Impact & Brand Perception: Wembley sold out twice, confirming the campaign’s deep resonance with UK boxing fans. Riyadh Season shifted from a sponsor to a cultural force, earning credibility among British audiences. Change in Behavior: Sweet Caroline became an unofficial anthem of the fight, reinforcing Riyadh Season’s emotional connection to the sport.