From tourism campaigns to the uniting power of sport, here’s our pick of the latest in video communications. For more from #CommunicateLens, follow @Communicatemag

HSBC Sport

HSBC Sport worked with international PR network Hill + Knowlton Strategies to launch a new film celebrating the uniting power of sport. Through the one-minute video HSBC Sport, partner of five Olympic sports (golf, badminton, cycling, tennis and rugby), pays tribute to sport and the ways in which it unites communities worldwide regardless of race, gender and background. Despite not being able to use fresh sporting footage because of the Covid-19 restrictions, the video is still able to send its message across to viewers by using a sequence of stock images from some of the most memorable moments in sporting history,

Combining the imagery with the narration of iconic voice of sports presenter Andrew Cotter, who reminds viewers of everything they’ve lived together while watching sports, adds to the video’s sentimentality.  ‘Together we entertained, together we laughed, together we cried,’ Cotter says, switching from the past to the future sense towards the end of the video to instil a sense of hope that the sport’s community will return and thrive together.

Tourism Ireland

Tourism Ireland worked with London-based communications agency Publicis•Poke to launch ‘I will return,’ a 50-second video to inspire and remind people of Ireland’s timeless nature, culture and history, which tourists will be able to return to after the Covid-19 crisis. This is further emphasised by the fact that the video was produced during and despite restrictions on location shooting because of the Covid-19 lockdown, using a mix of Tourism Ireland’s drone footage and scenes taken from previous Tourism Ireland campaigns Publicis•Poke  created.

The video features a poem written by Publicis•Poke that captures the resilient spirit of the country and its people. The poem begins with ‘I will return into her arms,’ later saying ‘We all know that these green lands have weathered tougher storms,’ communicating to viewers a sense of hope that this crisis, just like others, shall pass and when it does, Ireland will be welcoming tourists with open arms. This message is emphasises with the use of powerful imagery footage, some of which was captured by drones, that reveals the diverse landscape of the country, from lush hills to jagged cliffs and rivers.

“We may not be able to travel or visit the glorious landscape of the island of Ireland right now, but with a few beautifully written words and some delicious imagery, you can conjure up a feeling that nothing in the world can lockdown,” says Dave Monk, executive creative director of Publicis•Poke.

The film has launched globally in seven different languages across social media.