Ad of the Day: Nike

The consensus around these parts over the years has been that Roger Federer is a singularly awkward brand spokesman. But that's not entirely fair. All you have to do to make a successful Federer spot is make it as pleasantly goofy as he is, limit his speaking lines to approximately zero, and find a costar who won't overshadow him. You can tick off all three boxes with this new spot from Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Ore., for the Nike Free sneaker. The ad shows the 31-year-old, 17-time Grand Slam singles winner locked in one of the more brutal showdowns of his storied career—as he tries to swat a pesky fly in his lovely, spacious Swiss home. The shoe is apparently uniquely flexible, and so is the commercial, directed by Furlined's Adam Hashemi. Its 45 seconds give it room to breathe, allowing both the faux-suspense and the comedy to build (the shot from outside the home, with Federer poking the broom at the ceiling, is a particularly strong one). It also gives the sneakers some decent airtime as well. The problem is not that Federer isn't charming—he is. It's that most commercials call for him for actually attempt acting, which is a disaster waiting to happen. Instead, this spot plays to his strengths—giving him a few hero shots, an uncomplicated plot he can tackle lightheartedly, and a chance to show off his athleticism. In those things, he remains undiminished, even in the twilight of his career. The ad is part of a larger campaign that also included the earlier spots "Cat Flap" featuring Gabby Douglass and "Toy Claw" featuring Ashton Eaton and Allyson Felix. See those ads below as well. CREDITS Client: Nike —Spot: "Running Free/Fly Swatter" Global Creative Directors: Alberto Ponte, Ryan O'Rourke Copywriter: Jeff Salomonsson Art Director: Sara Philips Producer: Chris Capretto Executive Agency Producer: Matt Hunnicutt Account Team: Catherine Wolpe, Vanessa Miller Executive Creative Directors: Susan Hoffman, Joe Staples PRODUCTION Production Company: Furlined Director: Adam Hashemi President: Diane McArter Executive Producer: Eriks Krumins Line Producer: Ben Mann Director of Photography: Toby Irwin EDITORIAL Editorial Company: Rock Paper Scissors Editor: Kirk Baxter Assistant Editor: Nate Gross Post Producer: Toby Louie Post Executive Producer: CL Weaver VFX VFX Company: The Mill Lead 3D Artist: Michael Panov Lead 2D Artist: Daniel Thuresson Smoke Artist: Scott Johnson Exeutive Producer: Sue Troyan VFX Producer: Christina Thompson COLOR Color Company: Company 3 Colorist: Sofie Borup MUSIC + SOUND DESIGN Music+Sound Company: Trinitite Inc Written by: Mozart Sound Designer: Brian Emrich Song: Requiem in D Minor perf by Leipziger, Schreier, Dresden AUDIO Mix Company: Lime Studios Mixer: Rohan Young Assistant Mixer: Jeff Malen Producer: Jessica Locke —Spots: "Cat Flap," "Toy Claw" Global Creative Directors: Alberto Ponte, Ryan O’Rourke Copywriters: Jeff Salomonsson (Cat Flap, Toy Claw), Dylan Lee (Toy Claw only) Art Director: Sara Phillips Senior Producer: Jennie Lindstrom Associate Producer: Kirsten Acheson Account Team: Catherine Wolpe, Vanessa Miller Executive Creative Directors: Joe Staples, Susan Hoffman Executive Producer: Matt Hunnicutt PRODUCTION Production Company: Furlined Director: Adam Hashemi President: Diane McArter Executive Producer: Eriks Krumins Line Producer: Pete Vitale (Toy Claw, Cat Flap) Director of Photography: Toby Irwin EDITORIAL Editorial Company: Rock Paper Scissors Editor: Kirk Baxter Asst. Editor: Nate Gross Post Producer: Toby Louie Post Executive Producer: CL Weaver COLOR/TELECINE Company: CO3 Colorist: Sofie Borup VFX VFX Company: The Mill Creative Director: Phil Crowe Lead Flame: Sarah Elm 2D VFX Artists: Remedy Huynh / Patrick Munoz / Drew Huntley / Elad Offer VFX Producer: Christina Thompson VFX Production Coordinator: Samantha Axelrod MUSIC Music Company: Search Party (Toy Claw only) Composer: Jesse Novak Music Producer: Sara Matarazzo SOUND DESIGN Sound Design Company: Trinitite Inc (Toy Claw + Cat Flap) Sound Designer: Brian Emrich (Toy Claw + Cat Flap) MIX Mix Company: Lime Studios Mixer: Rohan Young Asst. Mixer: Jeff Malen Producer: Jessica Locke

Brand Marketing

Ad of the Day: Nike

Roger Federer kills it for W+K as he meets his toughest opponent yet

Tim Nudd

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