Turkish Airlines – Kobe vs. Messi

Michael van Beek was assigned as the basketball Choreographer and Body Double for Kobe Bryant, for the Turkish Airlines commercial ‘Kobe vs. Messi’ in 2012. The commercial shooting took place in September 2012, which once it was released in December 2012, became a huge hit worldwide on the internet with over 90 million views on Youtube in a month of time. The commercial shooting took place in 2 countries. The world top athletes in their sport discipline actually never met. Michael travelled to Istanbul, Turkey to work with Kobe Bryant, 4 hours on set and the week after Michael flew to Barcelona, Spain to work with Lionel Messi, 4 hours on set.

The film director that accomplished a tremendous job is Marco Grandia

A commercial that features Bryant and Messi “competing for a kid’s attention.” The kid in the ad “walks back and forth on an airplane as Bryant and Messi each try to impress him.” Messi kicks the ball in place, using “some fancy footwork,” while Bryant responds by “passing the ball through his legs over and over again as they’re extended in the air.” The kid “eventually walks away from both men to eat some ice cream”