This summer’s Olympics campaign for Nike out of Wieden+Kennedy Portland reminds us that there’s nothing wrong with wanting to win. It’s about embracing the drive for excellence that pushes athletes to achieve their dreams. Nike’s message is clear: anyone can be a winner if they want to be and the brand is showcasing how sport and the pursuit of victory can inspire people from all walks of life.
The insights for this campaign came directly from Nike’s athletes. “Winning Isn’t for Everyone” speaks to the grit, determination, sacrifice and passion that it takes athletes to get to the top of their sport and the Olympic stage. The pursuit of excellence is a journey that begins with the athlete mindset.
Narrated by Willem Dafoe and directed by Kim Gehrig via production house Somesuch, this anthem film–which asks “Am I A Bad Person?”–features athletes like LeBron James, Serena Williams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Qinwen Zheng, A’ja Wilson, Vini Jr., Jakob Ingebritsen and Sha’Carri Richardson.
Credits
Client Nike Agency Wieden+Kennedy Portland Caleb Jensen, Blair Warren, executive creative directors; Kevin Steele, Pedro Izique, creative directors; Orlee Tatarka, head of production; Kerli Teo, executive producer; Emily Knight, sr. producer; Lily Teague, associate producer; Grace Tsai Petrenka, executive art producer; Rosie Ollero, sr. art producer; Emily Bibey, visual research lead; Jacobi Mehringer, sr. creative; Andrew Chhour, Courtney Fields, copywriters; Tola Oseni, art director; Dan Viena, head of social creative, Bodega; Alicia Kuna, head of design studio operations & production; Sarah Starr, group design producer; Paris Fontes-Michel, design producer; Elena Reyna Hernandez, Sophie Van Der Merwe, Hui Chen Ou Yang, designers. Production Company Somesuch Kim Gehrig, director; Chayse Irvin, DP; Sally Campbell, Tim Nash, co-founders; Seth Wilson, managing director/exec producer; Roger Zorovich, head of production; Joe Yardley, post producer; Alexandra Lisee, line producer; Jacob Swan Hyams, line producer (Paris); Danielle Bliman, production supervisor; Dominika Wasik, production manager (Paris); Andrew Mardis, production supervisor; Guy Forgaard, 1st AD; Akin McKenzie, production designer; Camille Gaimendia, lead stylist. Editorial Spot Welders Robert Duffy, editor; Brian Jones, assistant editor; Edwina Lantigua, post producer; David Glean, CEO. VFX a52 Andy McKenna, Jessie Monsour, creative directors; David Hyatt, CG supervisor; Kevin Stokes, Adam Flynn, Michael Vaglienty, Benoit Mannequin, Theodore Maniatis, Rod Basham, Nicolas Vigneau, Andy Davis, Joey Brattesani, Flame artists; Kevin Stokes, John Valle, Matthew Monteleone, online artists; Dustin Mellum, Chris Clyne, Scott Nishiki, Joe Chiechi, Mike Bettinardi, Joey Bettinardi, Jose Limon, Joe Paniagua, Christian Sanchez, Mike Kirylo, 3D artists; Eve Kornblum, managing director; Andy Wilkoff, head of 3D; Drew Rissman, head of production; Sam Cornwell, sr. VFX producer; Kim Christensen, Patrick Nugent, exec producers. Color Trafik Mark Gethin, colorist; Taylor Pool, assistant colorist; Greer Bratschie, head of production; Robert Owens, managing partner. Licensed Music “I Allegro Ma Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso” by Ludwig van Beethoven from Egmont Overture: Symphony No. 9, track name, performance by Ferenc Fricsay and the Berliner Philharmoniker; “Il. Motto Vivace by Ludwig van Beethoven from Egmond Overture: Symphony No. 9, track name, performance by Ferenc Fricsay and the Berliner Philharmoniker; “IV. Presto-Alegro Assai” by Ludwig van Beethoven from Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Opus 125 “Choral,” track name, performance by Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt & Wiener Philharmoniker. Sound Design & Mix Field Day Noah Woodburn, Morgan Johnson, Natale Huizenga, sound design & mix; Leslie Carthy, exec producer. Music Supervision Soundtree Peter Raebum, creative director; Jay James, managing director/exec producer; Colin McIlhagga, music supervisor; Peter Raebum, Luke Fabia, John Mourounas, Benjamin Jones, music producers/arrangers. Research & Clearance Curious Research & Clearance Christina Lutz, exec producer; Samalee Matuszek, clearance producer; Julia Brandao, clearance specialist; Griffen Eckstein, research producer.
How do you top one of the most viral brand videos ever made? Spoiler alert: you can’t. But when Dollar Shave Club tapped Zack Seckler to direct a new campaign to revive the absurdist humor of its iconic launch video, he knew he had a rare opportunity to create something special.
The brief was simple: introduce the concept of a physical “Club” that people would love to join while showcasing Dollar Shave Club’s products and embracing the weird. From script to direction and post, Seckler--an alum of SHOOT’s 2021 New Directors Showcase--was invited to help sculpt that vision.
The result is this “Welcome to the Club” spot which invites us to join a unique, seemingly exclusive but in reality an accessible and affordable fraternity of Dollar Shave Club members. But you need to know the password or more accurately, the two-word phrase--"shave money."
“The Club” campaign brings the brand back to its humorous roots, reflecting a new chapter after being acquired by Nexus Capital Management from Unilever in late 2023. The work takes Dollar Shave Club back to its disruptive beginnings and what made the brand a viral sensation from its inception in 2011.
