The Next Level

Ah, my friends at 72andSunny have produced another gem. This is my opinion, but I think it is brilliant. The idea is beautifully executed. I guess when Guy Ritchie is not having breakfast in bed with Madonna or otherwise making me jealous, he is busy directing beautiful spots for Nike.

The spot follows a young football player through his carreer. (Football=soccer for us yanks) The general theme of the narrative is perseverance and dedication. Nothing new, but Nike really gets you to imagine that it is you in those boots, kicking game winning PK’s. I think this aligns with Nike’s brand quite nicely. Nike has been having a hard time displacing Puma and Adidas as the premiere brands for football apparel and equipment. This won’t magically change this situation, but it is a positive step in the right direction.

The first person perspective give the whole piece a certain urgency and intensity that cannot be ignored. The first time I saw the piece (which I haven’t seen on TV yet) I was entranced by the visuals. The images of the player vomiting and losing teeth are especially jarring. However, these images just seem to work with this gritty, dirty filming style.

Where this ad really hits the mark is how it depicts the life of a football superstar. Throughout the game-sequences, there is not a focus on the audience, only on the other players and field personnel. I get the sense of actually being on the field, as is if maybe…for just a second…I had made it. I wasn’t the lanky keeper that was never going to be tall enough. This piece connects with my mental space because of my predisposition to football. I see what could have been, and this is where it is genius. This ad is for every guy like me, who had their little pipe dream when they were young. Nike may not yet be synonymous with football, but the next time I have a PK with the game on the line (which is oh so uncommon), that commercial will snap into my consciousness.

This ad doesn’t look like an ad and doesn’t feel like an ad. That is where brands must be willing to go. The only logos were on the equipment and at the very end. There was no explicit product or benefit depicted. All of the benefits were implicit, and Nike treated their audience like they were intelligent. Everyone hates being sold at. Bravo 72andSunny for making me entertained, and maybe a bit inspired.