Gareth Bale And The R&A Link Up In New Animation

The R&A has launched a new animation, featuring football star Gareth Bale, to encourage people to play golf to improve their health and lifestyle.

The new global project, ‘Golf is Good’ – created by sports, fitness and wellbeing creative agency, MATTA – is being piloted in Wales in partnership with Wales Golf, building on recent scientific medical research, to promote the health and wellbeing benefits of playing the sport, through creative storytelling.

Using an animated film, produced by Ritzy Animation, R&A global ambassador, Gareth Bale, the Welsh football icon who has played an instrumental role in leading his country to the World Cup, features in a new animation.

Bale, who recently signed for MLS side Los Angeles FC, said, “I’m proud to be involved in this health campaign with The R&A and it’s great that Wales is the pilot market. Through the animated video, I’m keen to show how golf helps me in my life. It allows me to get away from football, socialise with others in green space and enjoy a form of exercise. I hope the campaign shows people that golf has many health benefits and can keep you fit, happy and be enjoyed by everyone.”

Earlier this year, Bale joined music star Niall Horan and Modest! Golf in backing The R&A’s drive to encourage more people into playing golf – including women and young people.

The initiative, endorsed by the British Heart Foundation, respected medical professional Dr Andrew Murray and The University of Edinburgh, will run across Wales this summer, ahead of a wider global roll-out, to encourage new and lapsed golfers into the sport.

Matt Hunt, Executive Brand & Strategy Director at MATTA, commented, “We proposed animation to answer this brief because it opens up whole new ways to communicate rational messages in an emotionally engaging way.

“Through this animation we’re showing the health and wellbeing benefits Gareth gets from golf in a way that simply wouldn’t be possible through more conventional means. It was a great challenge and privilege to create a 3D model of Gareth to introduce him into the Golf is Good animated world – and we’re thrilled with the result!”