Sonic Union and Abandon Editorial 'Kick It' for Ogilvy and Major League Soccer
Channeling global energy and enthusiasm for all things soccer, MLS delivers “Can I Kick It,” a spectacular anthemic centerpiece of its national campaign “MLS Is Back,” via Ogilvy. Directed by Romain Chassaing and edited by Edward Khoma of Abandon Editorial, the spot unites a cavalcade of Major League Soccer stars alongside cultural icons including Magic Johnson, David Beckham, Kevin Durant and Matthew McConaughey in an eye-popping celebration of the league's return.
Set to a reimagined version of the classic “Can I Kick It” by A Tribe Called Quest, the spot opens on Lionel Messi in the stadium as players arrive by every mode of transportation imaginable, each one landing directly on the field with a singular goal on their mind. An oversized version of the World Cup match ball rolls loose through the city streets as players, fans, familiar faces, and some wildly animated characters come together for a larger-than-life celebration. The spot closes on the field in fireworks with the final message, “Thanks world. We’ll take it from here. MLS is back July 16”.
Featuring sound design and mix by Sonic Union, alongside extensive VFX by 1920, the spot transforms an already energetic concept into a playful, cinematic spectacle. The epic new spot also marks Edward’s second collaboration on the campaign after editing “The Call,” which launched the league's "MLS Is Back" campaign on social channels earlier this year.
"Working on this campaign with the team at Ogilvy was honestly a dream,” shares Edward. “They put a lot of trust in me and were incredibly collaborative throughout the entire process. With so many moving pieces, we worked closely to make sure every moment felt intentional and every scene flowed naturally into the next.”
“Getting to work with such a legendary track, especially hearing the new pace and energy DJ Premier brought to it, was a real highlight,” adds Edward. “Collaborating with Romain Chassaing was equally inspiring, and 1920 did an incredible job taking our ideas and rough comps and making the final VFX feel so polished and cohesive. It was truly a labor of love across every department."
CREDITS
Client: Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chief Business Officer: Camilo Durana
Chief Marketing Officer: Radhika Duggal
Vice President, Brand Marketing: Marcela Garcia
Senior Director, Brand Campaigns & Earned Media: Laura Condella
Senior Director, Brand & Integrated Marketing: Ruba Sbeah
Manager, Brand & Integrated Marketing: Drew Tomlinson
Manager, Brand & Integrated Marketing: Samiya Hassan
Creative Director: Roman King
Senior Designer: Denise Vargas
Vice President, Digital Marketing & Media: Zach Riggar
Vice President, Social Media: Rawan Eewshah
Senior Director, Social Media: Dan Stelly
Vice President, Lifecycle Marketing & Paid Media: Ayca Pamucak
Vice President, PR: Trina Singian
Director, Digital Marketing: Claudia Iraheta
Vice President, Club Marketing: Amanda Kicera
Agency: Ogilvy
Chief Creative Officer: Guillermo Vega
Chief Creative Officer: Samira Ansari
Executive Creative Director: Wes Phelan
Creative Director: MyTran Dang
Creative Director: Jesse Custodio
Design Director: Nando Sperb
Senior Art Director: Nuri Park
Copywriter: Jeffrey Bauer
Senior Designer: Diane Wilder
Senior Animator: Kadeem Dick
Global Client Lead: Rajesh Midha
Executive Group Director: Jared Lowenthal
Account Director: Max Campbell
Account Resident: Annie McKinley
Chief Production Officer: Tim Legallo
Group Executive Producer: Anthony Curti
Senior Producer: Manny Roblero
Senior Producer: Liam Golding
Associate Producer: Anannya Akella
Group Strategy Director: Lauren Prociv
Head of Business Affairs: Jessica Nugent
Group Talent Manager: James Garvey
Music Business Manager: Sean Tucillo
Senior Business Manager: Pam Carden
Business Manager: Georgia Zalk
Director, Project Management: Morgan Miller
Design Intern: Daniela Meza Galarraga
Production Company: Reset Content
Director: Romain Chassaing
Executive Producer: Laura Macauley
Producer/UPM: Matt Wersinger
B Unit Director & Director of Photography: Shawn Kim
Director of Photography: Pat Aldinger
Editorial: Abandon Editorial
Editor: Edward Khoma
Executive Producer: Joanna Hall
Producer: Marcee Sanchez
Senior Assistant Editor: Eduardo Wong
Audio: Sonic Union
Head of Production: Pat Sullivan
Audio Engineer: Julienne Guffain
Audio Engineer: Owen Shearer
VFX: 1920 VFX
Creative Director: Ludo Fealy
Colorist: Oliver Banks Thompson
Shoot Supervisor: Peter McAuley
Producer: Ross Culligan
Coordinator: Melissa Anne Carr
3D Supervisor: Ben Revens
2D Supervisor: Ryan Hadfield
3D Artists: Andreas Georgiou, Girish G R, Haydn McGaw, Charlie Wilson, Christian Wells, David Rencsenyi, Ivaylo Yanev, Joe Baker, Manik Suvedi, Monika Lesiecka, Sean Penrose, Vishwajeet Nandagawle, Will Davies
2D Artists: Amresh Kumar, Ian Copeland, Jake Day, Kai Davies, Klaudia Skalska, Loredana Gangemi, Mary Stroumpouli, Ragesh R, Robert Lilley, Stalin Balan, Vivek Tekale, Taylor Hawker
AI Artist: Gabriel Munoz
DMP Artist: Winnie Choudhary
