Sporting apparel innovator Russell Athletic® is debuting a new creative campaign by agency The Richards Group that kicks off with a TV commercial directed by Jeff Bednarz. The spot, “Style Points,” features real athletes and supports the launch of Russell Athletic’s moisture-wicking Dri-Power® line. The spot broke last night during the Little League World Series on ESPN and will air nationally throughout 2011.

“Style Points,” begins with the phrase, “Style points don’t show up in the box score,” and highlights the work, pride, blood and tears that shape an athlete. The imagery unfolds in lush detail with high-speed motion photography interwoven with 16 mm footage for a rich, organic quality and a nod to sporting provenance.

“We tapped athletes who truly push themselves to the extreme and then filmed them at intense levels of physical performance,” said Director Jeff Bednarz. “The combination of the Phantom and 16mm film made for a beautiful visual study of motion. We had a creative blueprint and then just waited for the magic moments to unfold.”