As I mentioned below, ESPN commissioned 33 murals (one for each country plus one for Africa as a whole) in collaboration with Wieden + Kennedy and AM I Collective to incorporate into their marketing efforts and promote their coverage.
Here's the description from the ESPN World Cup Facebook page: "The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa is the 19th time the tournament will be played, and the first time on African soil. To celebrate this historic event, ESPN, Wieden+Kennedy and Cape Town-based AM I Collective created 33 original pieces of artwork: one for every participating country and one overarching World Cup piece. Each painting brings to life the story of that nation. The look of the artwork is inspired by hand-painted African art found in the streets and townships across South Africa, and the entire African continent."
In researching the murals (i.e., trying to find them again after seeing a rich media banner ad online) I realized how big of a deal this was and how much work went into the project. The posters apparently are inspired by old African movie posters. They were first displayed at an ESPN charity event and can now be seen in an exhibit at the Time Warner Center Gallery.
The murals also appear in magazine inserts, on bus shelters, in subway stations, and large-scale handpainted versions have popped up on the sides of buildings in various ethnic New York neighborhoods. The Greek team mural, for example, appears in Astoria, Queens. Digitally, the art also appears on the ESPN World Cup site and interactive banner ads that provide info on teams and schedule.
More information on the work behind the "One Game Changes Eveything" campaign and the murals in particular can be found HERE (Creativity Online).
I'll be posting all 32 murals over the next few days by Group. Stay tuned...
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