Net#work BBDO aids SA Homeless soccer team

5 Oct 2010

Net#work BBDO Cape Town recently conceptualised a TV commercial, sent virally, aimed at inducing donations for the SA Homeless Street Soccer team to attend the 8th Homeless World Cup tournament in Brazil. The soccer team almost didn't make it to the tournament due to a lack of funding.

Expertise and time donated

The company rounded up the donated expertise and time of SA's production, editing and post production companies. Net#work and MAL Foundation founder and 'goodvertising' campaigner, Mike Schalit, took an active, personal interest in this project which he describes as giving homeless people a purpose.

"Hey, they may not have brought home the World Cup and may not have a home to return to, but they have returned full of belief and hope and that's the main thing," says Schalit.

SA director Miles Goodall went into the field, interviewing and filming homeless men.

Fostering healthy development

SA Homeless Street Soccer directors David Abrahams and Clifford Martinus say they use football as a means of involving youths that live on the streets in positive activities that will assist them in hopefully moving off the streets to better lives.

"We are trying to foster healthy individual development, teach positive values and life skills, strengthen education, prevent disease through education (particularly HIV/AIDS) and provide health and well-being. It warms our hearts when companies like Net#work step forward with all their production 'buddies' to help us."

Companies that donated their time were production company Sweet Spot Content, editing company Deep End Post and post production company Ministry of Illusion.