Through a raw, emotionally disruptive short film that subverts the classic "hero’s journey," our campaign film tells the visceral story of a "Domestique", the cyclist who endures exhausting sacrifice to intentionally lose so his team leader can win – a narrative switch that reframes the definition of success.
The Best (Somos Gregarios)
A beautifully crafted short film reframing the sports narrative to celebrate cycling's invisible riders
Client
- Telefonica Movistar
Bureau
- Mexico
Movistar challenges the narrative that in sports, history only remembers the winners.
Cycling is inherently unfair. All fame goes to a single leader, while the "Domestiques", who block the wind and exhaust themselves, remain invisible. Movistar, a brand built on "connecting people" and owner of one of the oldest cycling teams (Movistar Team), needed to challenge this toxic competitiveness during the highly cluttered Tour de France. The challenge was to avoid inspirational sports clichés and create a piece of branded content that authentically captured the physical and emotional toll of these facilitators, shifting the brand's perception from transactional to deeply human.
Movistar’s core DNA is the invisible facilitator that empowers others. They saw a perfect metaphor in the Domestique. These athletes are the ultimate human network, the invisible connection making victory possible. By using film to elevate them, Movistar found a powerful way to change the success conversation: true greatness isn’t about standing on the podium alone; it’s about collective effort. The goal was to make the unseen labor behind every triumph visible and deeply felt.
We created a 4-minute fiction film that relies on a misdirection narrative. It follows Alonso, a boy who overcomes a humble beginning to become a pro cyclist. As he nears victory in a difficult mountain stage, the film subverts expectations: Alonso drops back, completely exhausting himself to shield his team leader, intentionally giving up his lead. Shot with raw cinematography, authentic direction, and real cyclists instead of actors, the film turns a story of defeat into a profound, beautifully crafted celebration of sacrifice.
The film successfully shifted the global sports conversation, delivering 2.8 million impressions with an astounding 94% View-Through Rate on premium VOD platforms. Culturally, it sparked a 350% increase in search interest for "Tour de France domestique." Beyond viewership, it changed consumer behavior: a Strava partnership mobilized over 37,000 amateur cyclists who rode over 6 million kilometers dedicated to the Domestiques. Movistar didn't just improve brand health; it successfully rewrote how society values every cyclist in the sport.