Warning: the athletes in Nike’s new advert are so terrifying, they could offer you nightmares–or not less than maintain their opponents up at evening.
Quickly after unveiling a method to concentrate on sports activities and efficiency, the model has kicked off a brand new chapter for its soccer division with a celebration of “scary good” gamers who’re redefining the game.
Created by company Wieden+Kennedy London, the marketing campaign pays homage to the attacking fashion of soccer and the fearlessness of each up-and-coming stars and legends. These “ferocious attackers” are serving to to “carry the enjoyable again” to the sport, in accordance with a model assertion.
“Scary Good” contains 9 adverts, together with a 60-second montage, depicting tales from the sphere that spoof genres of late-night TV, akin to horror motion pictures, weird infomercials, psychic readings, and grownup cartoons.
“Don’t simply beat them. Give them nightmares,” a menacing voiceover concludes.
Launching tomorrow (July 1), the primary vignette, “Free Psychic Readings With Alexia,” stars Spanish attacker Alexia Putellas as a late-night hotline psychic. She makes use of a crystal ball to anticipate her adversaries’ strikes and predict their downfall.
Debuting on the identical time is “Kyller Intuition,” a brief horror movie a few traumatized goalkeeper and a hospital ward filled with defenders who’ve confronted French attacker Kylian Mbappé.
“This marketing campaign is about reminding the world that the sport continues to be about pleasure and daring to be totally different,” Mbappé mentioned in a press release.
Different athletes showing within the marketing campaign will embrace Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Giulia Gwinn, Erling Haaland, Kerolin, Sam Kerr, Cole Palmer, Salma Paralluelo, and Vini Jr.
Refocusing on athletes and storytelling
Final week, after asserting one other quarter of disappointing monetary outcomes, Nike CEO Elliott Hill mentioned the model would shift its focus from way of life advertising to efficiency put on by means of a brand new technique referred to as “Sport Offense.”
Nike will emphasize key sports activities, akin to working and basketball, by doubling down on model storytelling and advertising efforts. “Sport Offense” can even work in tandem with “Win Motion,” a turnaround technique that Hill carried out when he rejoined the corporate in October 2024.
“We are going to differentiate every model (Nike, Jordan Model, and Converse) by sport, which we imagine will create sharper distinction and dimension,” Hill mentioned in a press release final week. “Once we concentrate on sport, we win.”
Nike has already begun its return to athlete-focused storytelling. Earlier this 12 months, it launched a marketing campaign and signature shoe for basketball star A’ja Wilson. The sneakers reportedly bought out in three minutes.
And in February, Nike returned to the Tremendous Bowl advert after a 27-year hiatus with “So Win,” which put the highlight on girls athletes in a male-dominated discipline.
