Nike has released its 2024 Olympics campaign “Winning Isn’t For Everyone” created by Wieden + Kennedy Portland, which seeks to flip the script on what makes an athlete good or respectful.
The campaign includes athletes such as LeBron James, Serena Williams, Kylian Mbappé and Cristiano Ronaldo, with each having a drive to win at all costs.
In the campaign’s hero film, athletes are seen competing in their respective sports with actor Willem Dafoe delivering a monologue asking viewers whether they think these athletes are bad people.
“I have no empathy. I don’t respect you. I’m never satisfied. I have an obsession with power. I’m loud,” he asks with the tone becoming increasingly febrile as the 90-second spot continues.
The insights for the campaign came from the athletes themselves and conversations they have had with the brand over years of partnership, the spokesperson added. It is meant to represent the athletes’ inner thoughts when they’re competing on their fields of play and “celebrate what it takes to be a winner.
“This is about celebrating the voice of the athlete,” says Nicole Graham, chief marketing officer at Nike, Inc.
“It’s a story about what it takes to be the best. It reminds the world that there’s nothing wrong with wanting to win.”
In addition to the hero film, an out-of-home (OOH) component will run across U.S. cities including Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix and Portland.
The OOH takeover expands globally to markets including Australia, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, India, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, Turkey and South Africa.
The campaign will be rounded out with dedicated athlete extension films and visuals, as well as social media partnerships with many of the athletes.
