Imaginary Forces and NFL Responsible Betting Campaign Tackles Sensible Betting Practices

Los Angeles-based creative studio Imaginary Forces has partnered with NFL Responsible Betting to launch a campaign tackling the timely issue of sensible betting practices at the outset of the new season. 

Imaginary Forces embraced the creative challenge to depict football without highlighting individual teams or players, and to balance the excitement of the game with the importance of the message. To ensure the piece and its significance resonated with fans, Imaginary Forces used real stats to recreate an iconic play to demonstrate how quickly the game can turn on a dime – and a bet can be lost. In place of the actual teams and players, the creative studio used Xs and Os to represent opposing players on the graphic field, bringing the play to life with voiceovers from the actual play by play announcers and real crowd noise from live stadium audiences. Additional spots will roll out throughout the season, each depicting a variety of new, heart-pounding plays, a strategy that not only injects some novelty but also underscores the message that part of the excitement of NFL games is their unpredictability.

“We needed to captivate the audience with something authentic and exciting, so that message about responsible betting cuts through. What better way to do this than to use real stats and plays,” says creative director Tosh Kodama. “I watch and occasionally bet on football, so I know first hand how important this overall message is.”