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Nike has released its new ad for Paris 2024 Olympics, celebrating the unforgiving, unapologetic and often heartless route to winning. At a time when brands have embraced an inclusive approach, centring their marketing campaigns on the virtues of sportsmanship, Nike has taken an off-beat approach focusing on the “bad qualities” that go on to make a great athlete.
Titled “Winning isn’t for everyone,” the Nike Olympics ad has evoked polarising responses with many lauding the athletic wear brand for its unabashed approach towards victory.
Actor Willem Defoe has lent his voice to the ad, asking the audience whether a lack of empathy and respect for the opponent, single-mindedness, deception, obsession and selfishness may make a person bad.
“I’m irrational, I have zero remorse, I have no sense of compassion, I’m delusional, I’m maniacal. You think I’m a bad person? Tell me,” he implored, going so far as to say, “What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine.”
The ad drives home the message that these are also the very qualities that set apart the good athletes from the great.
Defoe who has immortalised many on-screen “bad guys” such as Green Goblin, Thomas Wake and Paul Smecker has enhanced the overarching “villainy” theme of the ad.
The commercial also shatters perceptions that victors have to be inherently "good" and grounded to deserve their victory.
The ad stars famous athletes such as LeBron James, Sha'Carri Richardson and Serena Williams, many of whom have been accused of being ruthless and completely unabashed in their approach.
The agency behind the ad is Wieden+Kennedy Portland with Kevin Steele and Pedro Izique as. Creative Directors. The ad has been produced by Somesuch and directed by Aussie filmmaker Kim Gehrig.