GMG’s Sun & Sand Sports has kickstarted its Back to School #MakeSportsFun campaign with a message that “sport is not just about winning – it’s about having fun.”
The #MakeSportsFun concept is aimed to encourage children and young adults to change the meaning of victory and empower them to define what victory means to each one of them.
The campaign features children playing sports in a wide range of clothing, apparel and accessories featured in the Back To School visuals including brands like Nike, Adidas, Speedo, and Puma. Beyond clothing, Sun & Sand Sports also displays athletic equipment for swimming, yoga and much more to encourage fun in different activities.
The background of the campaign takes root in the fact that rapid societal and technological advancements mean that children are growing up in an increasingly competitive world. The pressure to excel in every sphere is intense. Parents, often unconsciously, impose their aspirations and dreams on their children to achieve. That, combined with the societal pressure to “fit in” by their peers, amplified by social media, shapes their behaviour towards sport as an added pressure. What was once supposed to be fun has turned into yet another series of validation, where achievement outweighs playing sports.
This is why a staggering 70% of children quit sports by the age of 13. Video games, however, are a whole other ballgame. With video games, kids are allowed to fail without the ever-watchful eye of their parents. They have more fun engaging with a game when there is less external pressure and judgement. No real-world consequences for losing or failing. They get to make mistakes, fail, and try again. Independently. They are truly free to have fun on their own terms. Bringing the judgement-free, light-hearted fun of video games into the world of sports is what the Back to School campaign intended to do.
“In line with our efforts to constantly push the boundaries in delivering exceptional customer experiences, this year’s Back to School campaign promises to be different and redefine the conversation of what validation means in sports, bringing back the fun and joy into sport. The objective is to encourage children to enjoy sports as much as they enjoy video games. We have done that by creating a world where real sports and elements from video games come together for children to enjoy. We want children to truly feel free and enjoy themselves playing the sports they like,” explained Mohamed Bodiat, senior vice president of brands – sports at GMG.
