Foot Locker, in collaboration with Nike, has teamed up with Preacher and BURN for the launch of its global holiday campaign, “The Heart of Sneakers”.
Directed by Greg Hardes and starring NBA’s Kevin Durant, the commercial is part of a larger Foot Locker rollout out which also features the likes of LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards, as well as musician Enisa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SLVM-PmxUI
The film sees NBA player Kevin Durant enlist a crew of Foot Locker’s iconic store associates, known as Stripers, to bring hype for the holidays. A dynamic edit and split screens topped off with bold graphics seize viewers’ attention as the gang go about their mission, delivering Nike sneakers to unsuspecting passers-by.
The objective was simple: create a multi-platform campaign around the launch of the new KD16 shoe at Foot Locker using premium commercial and cinematic social content engaging sports fans, sneakerheads and audiences of all ages. A full-service production studio specialising in commercials and cinematic social, BURN was brought on by the brand’s agency of record, Preacher, to engage with it as a partner in the truest sense of the word.
“Creating multiplatform content requires trust and an open mind. It’s tempting to stick to the ‘cutdown’ model, however, it’s our job to develop content that engages and feels appropriate to the platform and audience while maintaining a sense of craft that drives results,” said Brad Johns, managing director at BURN.
Across the entire campaign, which also featured Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, and singer-songwriter Enisa, BURN, and Preacher established different looks for each funnel. Conscious of the distinct demands of TV, social, and DOOH content, they constantly challenged their ideas to find solutions for the native platform each spot was meticulously designed for.
For TikTok, the team researched key trends with Preacher that would influence casting, technical approach and post and for the commercials, wanting to develop an entirely new look for Foot Locker that felt exciting and anthemic.
“Having the trust of the team at Preacher was a huge deal on this. Things were moving at a rapid pace and knowing they had my back creatively allowed me to dive in headfirst and enjoy the ride. We had huge shoot days with the Foot Locker Hype Squad, plus unpredictable athlete schedules, but we somehow pulled it off. I’m really proud of our production team for that,” said Greg Hardes, founding director at BURN.
“We wanted the launch to feel as big and exciting as an actual sneaker drop. Bringing in some of the biggest names in the NBA, plus a global music talent, was a great way to boost the scale and energy of the work. Holiday campaigns typically pull on heartstrings, but our intention was to bring heat and hype to the season. That feeling you get when wearing a fresh pair of kicks is what we’re hoping to evoke in this campaign,” said Ryan Durr, creative director at Preacher.
CREDITS
Production Company: Burn Studio @burnstudio.co
Managing Director: Brad Johns @bdjohns
Director: Greg Hardes @greghardes_
Executive Producer: Chris Hughlett @chrishughlett0225
Director of Photography: Josh Mckie @josh__mckie / Austin Kearns
Photographer: Johnnie Izquierdo @johnnie.izquierdo
Wardrobe Stylist: Khleo Armstrong @khleo.a
Production Designer: Leigh-Ann Reagan-Barnes @a_la_land__
Office Production Manager: Myriah Johnson
Business & Legal Coordinator: Nastassia Tiangco
Agency: Preacher
Chief Creative Officer: Rob Baird
Chief Executive Officer: Krystle Loyland
Chief Strategy Officer: Seth Gaffney
Creative Director: Ryan Durr / David Byrd
Brand Director: Jenalisa Trevino
Brand Manager: McKenna Caughey
Sr. Copywriter: Justin Grady
Sr. Art Director: Gina Senese
Sr. Designer: Candice Balbuena
Head of Production: Stacey Higgins
Sr. Producer: Kasia Olczak / Katie Porter
Sr. Strategist: Zachary Stubblefield
Business Affairs: Miiko Martin
