Project overview

Beats by Dre launched their totally wireless Powerbeats Pro earphones with ‘Unleashed’, a global spot featuring some of the biggest athletes on the planet, from LeBron James to Serena Williams.

In amongst the all-time greats was a British Olympian weightlifter, Zoë Smith. We wanted to take that platform and introduce Zoë to a wider audience. Zoë had defied the expectations of her peers and their parents to switch from gymnastics to weightlifting at an early age. She competed at London 2012 as a teenager and broke the British clean and jerk record.

Bad luck (a brutal shoulder dislocation) and bad timing (funding cuts to her sport) had put major obstacles in her way as she geared up for the World Championships in Asia. At times Zoë had to work extra jobs, just to support her training and competition.

We worked out a sponsorship deal that freed Zoë to focus on her preparations for the year ahead, and teamed up with director Emily McDonald to explore Zoë’s life as a female weightlifter - all the mental and physical strength she’s had to summon.

The film portrait coincided with an in-depth BBC Sport interview, where Zoë discussed some of her darker moments and overcoming depression.

The project reached over half a million viewers across YouTube and IGTV, earning Zoë the new fans she richly deserves, and helping to elevate her as a powerful role model in a sport that’s often overlooked.