Ad of the Day: Nike+

Thanks to Nike+, exercise is officially a video game.

That's the clear message delivered in two eye-catching new ads for Nike+ FuelBand from Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Ore. The FuelBand product—an accelerometer you wear on your wrist that tracks your activity and energy expenditures and translates them into "Nike Fuel"—has extended the gaming aspects of Nike's relationship with consumers introduced with the original Nike+. More than ever, it's all about racking up points and getting to the next level. So, the ads embrace that—presenting one's workout as a virtual game made real (well, hyperbolic but real-ish), with the athletes running around a city filled with buzzers and platforms and virtual opponents and even a guy throwing flaming barrels at you, Donkey Kong style.

The spots, directed by Smuggler's Adam Berg—whose great reel includes the Philips "Carousel" spot and TalkTalk's "Homes Within Homes"—are a visual delight. Finely detailed, futuristic in their atmosphere but playful in tone, they make working out seem like fun, which is sort of the whole point. Nike's mission is aspirational wrapped inside practical—self-improvement through the addictive craving for data. Gaming has always relied on the latter; now it's just being put to a healthier use. The tagline reflects this optimism with an aggressive call to action: "Game on, world."

Much has been made of the idea that Nike products are their own best marketing. In Cannes last month, Nike's Stefan Olander came close to scoffing at traditional communications relative to the self-perpetuating power of the company's new "ecosystem" of products and services. But rousing commercials still have their place. These two get a high score.

CREDITS
Client – Nike Global
Agency – Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.

SPOT – "Game On, World"

Creative Directors – Alberto Ponte / Ryan O'Rourke / Dan Hon
Copywriter – Antony Goldstein
Art Director – Bertrand Fleuret
Producer – Jeff Selis / Liam Doherty
Account Team – Liam Doherty / Alyssa Ramsey
Executive Creative Directors – Mark Fitzloff / Susan Hoffman
Agency Executive Producer – Ben Grylewicz

Production Company – Smuggler
Director – Adam Berg
Partners/Management – Patrick Milling Smith (Partner) / Brian Carmody (Partner) / Lisa Rich (COO/EP)
Line Producer – Karen O'Brien
Director of Photography – Joost van Gelder

Editorial Company – Cosmo Street
Editor – Paul Hardcastle
Post Producer – Esther Gonzalez

VFX Company – MPC
Managing Director – Andrew Bell (LA)
VFX Supervisor – Paul O'Shea (LA) / Daniel Marsh (LA)
Executive Producer – Asher Edwards (LA)
VFX Leads – Paul O'Shea (LA) / Daniel Marsh (LA) / Alex Lovejoy (NY) / Dean Robinson (NY) / Rob Walker (Lnd)
VFX Producer – Susan Kurtz (LA) / Louisa Cartwright (NY) / Anandi Peiris (Lnd)
Titles/Graphics – Casey McIntyre (LA) / Ben Persons (LA)

Telecine Company – MPC
Colorist – Mark Gethin (LA)

Music+Sound Company – Lime
Composer – Game On, World :60/:30 – The Seeds
Sound Designer – Jeff Sudakin
Song (if applicable) – The Seeds – "Pushin' Too Hard"

Mix Company – Lime
Mixer – Loren Silber
Producer – Jessica Locke

SPOT – "Run Your City"

Editorial Company – Cosmo Street
Editor – Paul Hardcastle
Post Producer – Esther Gonzalez

Telecine Company – MPC
Colorist – Mark Gethin (LA)

Music+Sound Company – Lime
Composer – Cornelius
Sound Designer – Jeff Sudakin
Song (if applicable) – Cornelius – "Count 5 or 6"

Mix Company – Lime
Mixer – Loren Silber
Producer – Jessica Locke

Tim Nudd

@nudd Tim Nudd is a former creative editor of Adweek.