The long wait is finally over. After the big reveal early this year, Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has released its long-awaited “Live Your Passion with Purpose” campaign headlined by the world’s leading pop icon, BTS.
The campaign, which was a product of a tedious process and several meetings between the group and the local mobile provider, also marks Smart’s first collaboration with the Grammy-nominated artists managed by HYBE, formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment.
In a virtual presser held yesterday, Jane J. Basas, SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart shared that the commercial film’s ultimate goal is not just to showcase the talents of the global pop icons Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, it also serves as an avenue to share the group’s messages of hope and inspiration.
“On behalf of Smart, we are very honored to have this partnership with BTS that encourages the Filipino youth to keep their faith and continue pursuing their passion and purpose no matter the challenges that lie ahead,” Basas told the local press during the virtual event.
“We shot the commercial for 10 hours. And we were managing seven global superstars with complicated schedules. They asked if we wanted a new song for this campaign but we had to set that aside given the limited time we had. It was really a challenge. It’s a big production and we were in awe, ” the telco executive added.
Shot in Seoul at the height of the global lockdown, the campaign is set to two of the band’s most recent hits—the inspirational “Life Goes On” followed by the record-breaking hit “Dynamite”—appropriately providing the score to a timely and encouraging message to Filipino ARMY during the Philippines’ most challenging time.
The TVC has the seven BTS members walking up and down seven iterations of The Penrose Stairs—symbolic of defying impossible situations—bearing wise and powerful words that defy all of life’s challenges:
• Jung Kook goes up and down a staircase which appears to represent the entrance to a recording studio with the words KEEP INSPIRING;
• RM is seen opening a book in the impossible stairways set with the words KEEP LEARNING;
• j-hope is dancing in a dynamic disco set with the words KEEP MOVING;
• Jin goes up a garden stairway set with the words KEEP CHASING YOUR PASSION;
• V is seen at a subway escalator with the words KEEP EXPLORING;
• SUGA in a musical-inspired staircase set with the words KEEP LIVING YOUR PURPOSE;
• Jimin is seen in a building’s fire exit with the words KEEP CONNECTING.
“As the leading digital services provider in these crucial times, we at Smart are committed more than ever to make it simple and easy for Filipinos to go all out on their passions and fulfill their purpose,” said Alfredo S. Panlilio, Smart President and CEO.
BTS also shared their thoughts on what it means to “Live Your Passion with Purpose.” Jin reflects, “Smart decisions have always been important to us and seem to have produced good results for us. I will encourage you [to live smarter and live with purpose] so you can only walk the path of happiness.”
“When you have a purpose, you have a reason to [live] and it becomes your driving force,” says j-hope.
To this, V adds, “No matter how many times you fall, don’t give up and challenge yourself to break [big walls] in your life.”
For a group whose passion and purpose are to create music and perform around the world, staying put in South Korea for more than a year now has only made them look forward to better times. “What makes us move is the ARMY waiting for us,” SUGA shares, eager for when seeing fans face-to-face is possible again.
Meanwhile, Jung Kook has everyone’s best interest in mind: “I’ll be rooting for you. Please stay healthy.” “We know very well that you are always sending us messages through social media, uploading videos that cover our songs and dances, and participating in competitions,” says Jimin.
Shooting the campaign also conjured up memories of the groups’ previous visits to the Philippines, mostly during their early years. Band leader RM, alluding to the longingness expressed in their classic anthem Spring Day, says rather eloquently, “It’s been a while since we met with ARMY and everyone in the Philippines. Let’s meet soon after this long winter is over. I miss you a lot.”
