TOM BIRD ...kinda like TOM FORD. His work may not smell as good. Looks good though. And he smells nice. More info here ︎︎︎
TOM BIRD ...kinda like TOM FORD. His work may not smell as good. Looks good though. And he smells nice. More info here ︎︎︎
KLABU x On Running
Le Berrad
2025
Commercial work

A story from the heart of the Saharan desert bringing together two of my favourite things: sport and tea.

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On the eastern border of Mauritania is a settlement called M’bera. Home to over 100,000 refugees displaced by the civil war in Mali, as well as the location of KLABU’s latest sports clubhouse.

The badge on the KLABU M’bera shirt features three traditional teapots representing a welcome gesture in the Sahel, by which tea is poured in three servings:

“The first tea is served bitter, like loss.
The second is served strong, like life.
The third is served sweet, like love.”

This phrase is in fact a proverb of the Tuareg (an indigenous ethnic group) and it served as a perfect metaphor describing the personal journey from displacement to reconnection, which is told through the story of three characters: a runner, a footballer, and a volleyball player.

The film is scored by Tinariwen, an incredible band from the region, and the project is the first of a 3-year partnership with On. Read more about it here.


Client ︎︎︎ KLABU & On Running
Creative Director ︎︎︎ Tom Bird
Director / DOP ︎︎︎ Richard Hu
Writer ︎︎︎ Tom Bird
Producer ︎︎︎ Julia Piatkowska, Fleur Harmsen, Ibrahim Ag Abdorahmane
Editor ︎︎︎  Richard Hu, Tom Bird
Photography ︎︎︎ Coco Olakunle
Music ︎︎︎ Tinariwen
Music Licensing ︎︎︎ Lucy @ Warp, Patrick @ Wedge
Sound ︎︎︎ Wave Studios
Colour Grade ︎︎︎ Joppo de Grot
Cast ︎︎︎  Mohamed Ag Mohamed Aly
                 Mariama Wlt Med Ali
                 Aly Tahirou Macalou
Project partners ︎︎︎   On
                                        UNHCR

Special thanks to Joumana Baalbaki, Jordan Farwell & Gessica Giulini @ On and to UNHCR Mauritania

Mark
Wednesday May 11 2022
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hello@tombirdistheword.com