Lenovo has lifted the curtain on a new global campaign developed with production company Rattling Stick and director Owen Trevor Black, positioning its technology as a central force behind what the brand describes as the most technologically advanced FIFA World Cup to date.
Conceived as an immersive narrative rather than a conventional sports commercial, the film explores how Lenovo’s artificial intelligence–driven solutions are set to support the 2026 tournament, from real-time data processing to enhanced decision-making tools. The project reframes the competition not only as a sporting spectacle, but as a complex digital ecosystem operating behind the scenes to bring the game closer to fans.
From stadiums to living rooms
Rather than relying on iconic match footage or star-player moments, the campaign adopts a more intimate perspective. The story unfolds through everyday scenes inspired by the way football fever infiltrates daily routines across continents. Viewers encounter a series of character-led vignettes that reveal how the World Cup reshapes ordinary life, suggesting that the tournament no longer exists only inside stadiums, but in homes, streets and shared moments around the world.
This approach underlines Lenovo’s strategic message: technology is no longer a backstage utility, but an invisible engine that allows fans to experience each pass, decision and turning point with unprecedented immediacy.
A cinematic lens on AI
Shot over two days in a studio in Bucharest, the film blends live-action performances with AI-generated and AI-enhanced sequences. Owen Trevor Black’s signature visual style gives the piece a cinematic texture, while subtle humour and carefully crafted details humanise the technological theme.
The narrative avoids overt demonstrations of hardware or software. Instead, it suggests how artificial intelligence moves in rhythm with the game, supporting referees, analysts and broadcasters, while shaping the way audiences connect emotionally with football’s biggest event.
Creative freedom at the heart of the project
For Owen Trevor Black, the campaign offered a rare opportunity to merge technological storytelling with playful creativity. He has described the film as a chance to explore football culture in all its eccentricity, blending unexpected characters and visual metaphors to reflect the intensity of World Cup obsession.
From Lenovo’s side, the collaboration is positioned as a strategic branding statement. By focusing on people rather than pure spectacle, the company aims to underline that innovation in sport is ultimately about enhancing human experience — sharpening insight, accelerating understanding and deepening emotional connection.
Setting the tone for 2026
As anticipation builds toward the FIFA World Cup 2026, Lenovo’s campaign signals how major technology partners are seeking to redefine the narrative around global sporting events. The film presents the tournament not simply as a month of matches, but as a living, data-driven phenomenon — one that unfolds simultaneously on pitches, screens and in the everyday lives of millions.
By blending warmth, humour and advanced digital aesthetics, Lenovo and Rattling Stick deliver a piece that balances the monumental scale of the World Cup with personal, relatable moments, offering a glimpse into how artificial intelligence is expected to quietly shape the future of football.
