BBC enlists Damon Albarn to promote Olympics coverage

by Kate Nettleton, Campaign 25-Jul-08

The trailer promoting the BBC's coverage of the Beijing Olympics, created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett of Gorillaz, breaks tonight at 7.30pm on BBC One.

The animated promo, produced in conjunction with Rainey Kelly Campbell
Roalfe/Y&R, is based on the Chinese folk tale Monkey King. It features
the Monkey, Pigsy and Sandy characters exhibiting their Olympic sporting

talents on their way to the Bird's Nest Stadium.

The two-minute ad's soundtrack was composed by Albarn specifically for
the campaign, and is a mix of Chinese opera and Gorillaz-style
synthesised pop.

The "journey to the east" campaign forms the basis for the BBC's
coverage throughout the Games. The ad will be available from 10am at
www.brandrepublic.com/campaign/gorillaz.