Women athletes can’t stand out–or so they’re told. They can’t have an attitude. Can’t deliver. Can’t fill a stadium. They can’t speak up, flex or make demands. And they can’t show off or break records.
Nike has a dramatically different perspective, offering a call to athletes across the globe: Do it anyway–and redefine the expectations of sport along the way.
Together with Nike, Wieden+Kennedy Portland unveiled a :60 anthem, “So Win” during Super Bowl LIX–the brand’s first time back in the Big Game since 1998. The work speaks directly to athletes who win, lead and dominate despite constantly being told how they should act, what they can’t do, and who they can’t be.
Voiced by Doechii and directed by Kim Gehrig of production company Somesuch, the campaign highlights the driving story of today: the outstanding rise of women athletes. From record-breaking viewership to sold-out stadiums, women’s sport isn’t just growing–it’s created an undeniable energy that’s expanded the athletic landscape, showing a new picture of achievement and strength that reflects the power, skill and promise of these athletes putting in the work.
Sabrina Ionescu, Jordan Chiles, Caitlin Clark, Sha’Carri Richardson, A’ja Wilson, Sophia Wilson and several others from Nike’s iconic roster of athletes encourage everyone to block out the noise, dig in and let their hard work speak for itself.
Through “So Win,” Nike’s stance is clear: There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be the best. Demonstrated through their everyday expression of confidence and their groundbreaking achievement in sport, these athletes prove what’s possible when you embrace your full power.
Credits
Client Nike Nicole Graham, chief marketing officer; Enrico Balleri, VP, global brand creative, brand voice; Andy Walker, VP, global brand creative, brand design; Helena Thornton, VP, global brand marketing, womens; Bradley Martin, global brand marketing director;Andy Whiteside, sr. director, global brand creative; Katie Gurgainus, director, global brand creative; Miko Cowan, creative operations director, brand voice; Rachel Boucher, creative producer; Nick Roldan, producer, global production; Sarah Barrett, Nike business affairs. Agency Wieden+Kennedy (W+K) Portland Caleb Jensen, Blair Warren, executive creative directors; Ted Malenfant, copywriter; Whitney Downing, art director; Orlee Tatarka, head of production; Kerli Teo, executive producer; Katie Schaller, sr. producer; Lily Teague, associate producer; Lauren Hill Vaughan, production assistant; Xenia Alexandra, art producer; Emily Bibey, image research lead; Becca Taylor, global group strategy director; Alicia Kuna, head of design studio ops & production; Bruno Oppido, group design director; Sarah Starr, group design producer; Hui Chen Ou Yang, sr. designer; Sophie Van Der Merwe, designer. Production Company Somesuch Kim Gehrig director; Sally Campbell, Tim Nash, co-founders; Seth Wilson, managing director/exec producer; Roger Zorovich, head of production; Arlene McGann, producer; Danielle Billman, production supervisor; Brian Sabowski, production supervisor (NY); Joe Yardley, post producer; Joey Mendez, production coordinator; Kevin Fermoselle, commercial coordinator (NY); Philippe Le Sourd, DP; Peter Jackson, 1st AD; Denna Thomsen, movement coordinator; Olivia Peebles, production designer (NY); Marie Lanna, production designer (Barcelona, BCN); Gabriella Johnson, stylist (NY); Vanessa Coyle, stylist (BCN); Georgina Graham, makeup artist (BCN); Andrew Ansah, sports coordinator; Anu Schwartz, art director (NY). Service Production Company (BCN) Olga Jabal, producer. Editorial Company Trim Tom Lindsay, Elise Butt, editors; Steve Shaw, additional editor; Alexandra Jimenez, Nanako Kawasaki, assistant editors; Jemma Daniel, managing director; Noreen Khan, post exec producer; Lauren Pullano, sr. post producer. VFX Selected Works Francois Roison, creative director; Pete Hodsman, 2D lead; Richard Roberts, Maheshwaran Chandrasekaran, Valeria Scalamandre, Sam Hencher, Badari Chinimilli, Ben Turner, 2D artists; Eileen Chan, Emma King, online artists; Kieran Russell, Sarah Hiley Francesco Bianco, 3D artists; Fabio Santoro, Lyndall Spagnoletti, DMP artists; Sean Costelloe, exec producer; Dan Crozier, sr. producer; Noa Vuagniaux, production assistant. Color Trafik Mark Gethin; Gemma Parr, assistant colorist; Taravat Yazdan Panah, producer; Greer Bratschie, head of production. Finish Joint Nick Tayler, finish artist; Brandon Marx, postproduction coordinator; Catherine Liu, head of production; Tina Starkweather, exec producer. Licensed Music Led Zeppelin, “Whole Lotta Love” Music Supervision Soundtree Music Peter Raeburn, chief creative officer/music supervisor/music producer; Luke Fabia, John Mourounas, music producers; Colin McIlhagga, Luke Georgiou, music supervision team; Jay James, managing director/creative partner. Sound Design & Mix Field Day Noah Woodburn, sound designer & mixer; Natalie Huizenga, additional mix; Leslie Carthy, exec producer. Research & Clearance Curious Research & Clearance Christina Lutz, exec producer; Samalee Matuszak, clearance producer; Julia Brandao, Cristiane Brandao, clearance specialists; Griffen Eckstein, research producer; Nick Ehart, Diego Alisson, Tarik Faris, Tammy Vo, Jared Jeffries, Ellie Reed, researchers.
Directed by Rich Hall via Riff Raff Films for Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, this Nike film--titled “The Five Stages of Haaland”--reimagines a one-on-one battle through the goalkeeper’s perspective, dramatizing his psychological descent through the five stages of grief with Erling Haaland, the Norwegian soccer superstar, charging toward him.
Haaland scoring a goal is inevitable and the goalie knows it, experiencing the five stages-Denial, Anger, Negotiation, Despair and finally Acceptance. The hyper-stylized processing of the five stages with Haaland’s onslaught unfolding before our eyes blends cinematic intensity and humor, delivering a fresh exhilarating, tongue-in-cheek take on sports advertising.
