Sure and AMV BBDO turn protective gear into 'Crash ads'

Campaign has transformed likes of crash mats and gum shields into 'Nonstop'-branded protective gear.

Unilever's Sure deodorant is launching a social campaign in the UK and US featuring content from six of its "Movement Champions", including a wheelchair motorcross champion and a Paralympian, to demonstrate the "amazing feats that are possible when you are protected".

Created by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, the campaign features Sure's (known as Degree and Rexona in the US) "Nonstop protection" message, which has been designed by typographer Chris Labrooy and applied to bespoke protective gear including airbags, crash mats, helmets and gum shields. The content shows people using these "Crash ads" to take part in impressive physical feats.

The main campaign features six influencer "movers" from across the globe, including Aaron "Wheelz" Fotheringham, Paralympic athlete Blake Leeper and former ASU wrestler Marlee Smith. Each of them will be producing social content for Sure over the coming months.

"Wheelz" is renowned for doing extreme stunts in his wheelchair, including double back-flips and 180-degree mid-air spins. In the campaign, he uses Sure's Nonstop protective "Crash ads" in the form of airbags and crash mats. Sure has captured his next record-breaking attempt as a documentary-style long-form video and a series of cut-down videos that will be run on social platforms.

The campaign is built on research that claims 90% of people have experienced self-doubt when approaching a new challenge.

Kath Swallow, global brand vice-president for Sure, said: "At Sure, limit-smashing protection is in our DNA. We empower people all over the world, every day to smash their limits, knowing they're protected from odor and sweat with our antiperspirants and deodorants.

"Now, we want to show just how far you can push yourself when you have 'Nonstop' protection to support you. We're ready to set new standards with our media spaces as well as our sweat protection and use our scale to break down the barriers that stand in the way of people moving however they want."

Fotheringham added: "I'm always looking for the next big challenge or record-breaking stunt to land – like my current dream of landing a triple backflip. I believe that anything is possible, no matter who you are, which is why working with Degree has been an incredible experience since they, like myself, are all about breaking limits and pushing past barriers."

The campaign was created by Alex Duckworth, Dalatando Almeida, Michael Hughes, Kalle Everland and Jake Viner. Edelman handled PR.

Jack Smedley and George Hackforth-Jones, AMV BBDO creative directors, said: "We always talk about contextual alignment, right message, right moment and right time. This campaign does just that. There's no moment better to prove the power of Nonstop protection than in a moment where reliable protection really counts."