framethrower

Study the greats · Find refs fasterFilmmakers · Animators · Advertisers

GenreDramaThrillerComedyHorrorRomanceActionCrimeSci-fiAdventureAnimation

Umbro “Love Hurts” 1998

Umbro “Love Hurts” (1998) is an Umbro commercial directed by Simon Levene, produced by Rose Hackney Barber. It won one award: D&AD 1998 Wood Pencil — TV & Cinema Advertising Crafts / Direction.

This ad explores the intense emotional connection and passion that football fans and players have for the sport, highlighting both the highs of victory and the lows of defeat.

Video: simon levene on Vimeo

Shot by shot

  1. A wide-angle shot of an empty football stadium with rows of seats and a green field under a cloudy sky, as the lights turn on.© Umbro0:00
  2. An aerial view of a football stadium full of spectators, with a harbor, industrial buildings, and mountains in the background under a cloudy sky.© Umbro0:04
  3. A man with dark curly hair looks right, with a blurred background of stadium lights and crowd, at night.© Umbro0:07
  4. A pixelated ambulance icon, made of yellow lights, is displayed on a dark blue screen, with the word "AMBULANCE" visible above it.© Umbro0:10
  5. A male soccer player in a light-colored uniform stands on a field, looking distressed, with other players and spectators blurred in the background.© Umbro0:15
  6. A male soccer player in a light-colored jersey with dark stripes on the collar screams in agony on a field, with blurred spectators in the background.© Umbro0:19
  7. A male soccer player in a light jersey and dark shorts stands on a field, holding his chest, as another player walks past him in front of a crowd and a billboard.© Umbro0:23
  8. A blurry, out-of-focus shot of a soccer field with indistinct figures in blue and white jerseys, suggesting a game in progress.© Umbro0:28
  9. Two young boys, one in a red jacket and one in an orange hoodie, laugh and point at the camera in front of a tall apartment building on a sunny day.© Umbro0:32
  10. A young boy in a light blue shirt and dark shorts falls backward onto a grassy hill with a soccer ball nearby, in front of apartment buildings and trash bins.© Umbro0:37
  11. An elderly man with white hair and a black and white scarf looks directly at the camera in a dimly lit room.© Umbro0:43
  12. A young boy in an England football shirt looks sad, then raises a small England flag to his face, then lowers it, in a dimly lit living room.© Umbro0:46

Stills © Umbro. Made by Rose Hackney Barber and Simon Levene.

Every shot, full-quality frames and clips, and search across every commercial. Free account.

The idea

Football is more than a game; it's a deep, often painful, love.

Tagline: “Only Football”

fan devotionplayer agonychildhood dreamsgenerational passionurban gritdramatic contrast

The cut

Length
61 s
Shots
43
Average shot
1.4 s

What creatives use Umbro “Love Hurts” for

  1. 01Reference frames for your treatment

    Pitching something with the feel of Umbro “Love Hurts”? A screenshot from a video player won't hold up in a deck.

    Download any frame of this spot at full quality, with its credits, or search every spot for the same look.

    A wide-angle shot of an empty football stadium with rows of seats and a green field under a cloudy sky, as the lights turn on.© UmbroAn aerial view of a football stadium full of spectators, with a harbor, industrial buildings, and mountains in the background under a cloudy sky.© UmbroA man with dark curly hair looks right, with a blurred background of stadium lights and crowd, at night.© UmbroA pixelated ambulance icon, made of yellow lights, is displayed on a dark blue screen, with the word "AMBULANCE" visible above it.© Umbro
    Frames from Umbro “Love Hurts”

  2. 02Shot list example: how it was cut

    You need the structure of a great spot, shot by shot, for your storyboard.

    Every shot of Umbro “Love Hurts” in order, with its length, framing and what happens in it.

    A wide-angle shot of an empty football stadium with rows of seats and a green field under a cloudy sky, as the lights turn on.© UmbroAn aerial view of a football stadium full of spectators, with a harbor, industrial buildings, and mountains in the background under a cloudy sky.© UmbroA man with dark curly hair looks right, with a blurred background of stadium lights and crowd, at night.© UmbroA pixelated ambulance icon, made of yellow lights, is displayed on a dark blue screen, with the word "AMBULANCE" visible above it.© UmbroA male soccer player in a light-colored uniform stands on a field, looking distressed, with other players and spectators blurred in the background.© UmbroA male soccer player in a light-colored jersey with dark stripes on the collar screams in agony on a field, with blurred spectators in the background.© Umbro
    Length: 61 s · Shots: 43 · Average shot: 1.4 s

  3. 03Ad ideas: every spot built on a fan devotion

    Before you present an idea, you need to know who has done it, and how.

    Umbro “Love Hurts” is built on a fan devotion. Search the library by idea to see every spot that uses it.

    YPF “Simbiosis”© YPFTipico “x bayern münich - Rituals”© Tipicoadidas “x Aston Villa FC - Up The Villa”© adidasHancock Whitney “Saints”© Hancock Whitney
    YPF · Tipico · adidas · Hancock Whitney

More commercials by Simon Levene

  • Florida Department of Health "Torture Device" (2003) commercial still© Florida Department of HealthFlorida Department of Health “Torture Device” 2003Dir. Simon Levene · Crispin Porter + BoguskyClio Awards Bronze 2003
  • Gigaclear "Goes Further" (2026) commercial still© GigaclearGigaclear “Goes Further” 2026Dir. Simon Levene · The Gate
  • Hillarys "Sponsorship Idents" (2024) commercial still© HillarysHillarys “Sponsorship Idents” 2024Dir. Simon Levene · Heads Up Production
  • Naked "Noodles - No Shame" (2023) commercial still© NakedNaked “Noodles - No Shame” 2023Dir. Simon Levene · Creature
  • MrQ "You Win Some You Lose Some" (2023) commercial still© MrQMrQ “You Win Some You Lose Some” 2023Dir. Simon Levene · Fall off the Wall
  • McDonald’s "Veggie - Douche" (2019) commercial still© McDonald’sMcDonald’s “Veggie - Douche” 2019Dir. Simon Levene · TBWA Worldwide

Award-winning sport commercials

Questions

Who directed the Umbro “Love Hurts” commercial?

Simon Levene directed it, produced by Rose Hackney Barber.

What awards did Umbro “Love Hurts” win?

1 awards, including D&AD 1998 Wood Pencil — TV & Cinema Advertising Crafts / Direction.

What is the tagline of Umbro “Love Hurts”?

“Only Football”

Sources for the credits and awards

dandad.org