Nike Australia has announced the launch of its new brand campaign, which focuses on ‘No Turning Back’ moments in sport. The campaign calls on youth to play like there is ‘No Turning Back’, and celebrate the joy and creativity of playing sport.

The insight behind ‘No Turning Back’ is about reawakening the Aussie spirit of playing sport like there’s nothing to lose and embracing a ‘Just Do It’ attitude. The campaign sees Nike Australia join forces with its powerhouse of athletes and sporting legends to inspire young Australians to release their inner competitive spirit.

Four TVC spots hero the campaign, which places athletes in unusual ‘No Turning Back’ situations delivered in the irreverent and bold tone Nike is famous for. In the one of the ads, a young girl handcuffs herself to athlete Genevieve LaCaze in order to keep the pace in a race. In another, we see NRL player James Tedesco purposefully touch a priceless work of art, giving him no way but to dodge his way out of the museum.

The ‘No Turning Back’ campaign rolls out nationwide from tomorrow with TVC’s launching during the State of Origin broadcast, supported by experiential events, digital, in-store, OOH and PR.

The TVC films will be complimented by large-scale OOH formats across Australia, including the highly sought after Glebe Sydney silos and was projected on the side of the iconic MCG in Melbourne when the Socceroos took on Brazil last week.

Among the other Australian sporting heroes to feature in the attention-grabbing OOH is tennis star Nick Kyrgios, NRL hero Cameron Smith and footballer Tom Rogic.

Creatively led by Wieden+Kennedy, Portland- USA, the campaign was in development more than a year and shot in various locations throughout Australia.

Brant Hirst, Nike marketing director said: “Historically, competition was always just as important as winning. It’s what made Australia the most successful underdog-sporting nation. Nike’s ‘No Turning Back’ campaign was developed to awaken the naturally competitive spirit that lies at the heart of every Australian young athlete and inspire them to play like they have nothing to lose”.

To mark the launch, Nike Australia hosted a panel with some of Australia’s top athletes, both past and present, to discuss getting Australian inspired to compete. Led by Fox Sports news presenter Louise Ransome, sporting legends Andrew Johns and Steve Moneghetti were joined on by athletes including AFL player football star Kyah Simon, netballer Kim Ravaillion and skater Hayley Wilson, to share their own ‘No Turning Back’ stories.

Research conducted with 50 Australian sporting industry experts, professional and amateur athletes and young people uncovered the pressures Australian kids experience in sport. ‘No Turning Back’ has been designed to challenge Australians to change their current perceptions of sport, and reawaken their love for competing.

The ‘No Turning Back’ campaign will roll out across TV, digital, in-store, out of home and PR nationwide from June 21, 2017.

Credits

Client: Nike Australia Marketing Director: Brant Hirst Brand Communications Manager: Alex Tjioe Advertising Agency: Wieden+Kennedy, Portland USA Creative Director: Alberto Ponte & Ryan O’Rourke Director: Steve Ayson Team: Sara Philips, Alex Romans, David Chathas, Irina Tone, Barrie Wilhelmi, Simone Takasaki, Lisa Johnson, Ryan Craven, Luiza Prata Carvalho & Patrick Gulliford Media Agency: Mindshare