harbin
no borders
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The year: 1971. The background: No American delegate has set foot in the People’s Republic of China in over twenty years. Fifteen American Ping Pong players cross a bridge from Hong Kong into China. Inadvertently, they become the most important American diplomats on the planet, thawing China-U.S. relations for the first time in decades. In the words of Nelson Mandela: Sport has the power to unite people in ways that little else does.
This is the story of how we used sport to break down international borders.
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The Olympics provide a unique opportunity for brands and Harbin Beer did not want to miss out. Its mission 一起哈啤 or to be “Happy Together” needed to find expression at this key sporting event to build the brand and make the best of the drinking opportunities around the festivities.
It’s not just a drink. It’s a bridge.
China has the most neighboring countries in the world. Although the people living along the border may be geographically close, when it comes to matters of the heart, they are anything but. For a brand that is about being “Happy Together” that just didn’t seem right.
As Olympic fever reached its peak, we harnessed the power of sportsmanship and the spirit of the games to embark on a 30-day journey around China’s borders.
We organised matches played across border lines. China played basketball with Myanmar, football with Mongolia, table tennis with Russia, cycled against Kazahkstan and paddle-boarded with Vietnam.
The resulting short film — Happiness Without Borders — reveals how sport and friendship can transcend borders and cultural differences.