Ad of the Day: This Powerade Spot Will Be Among the Most Hard-Hitting of the Rio Games

Powerade pulls no punches whatsoever in this spot from Wieden + Kennedy Portland starring 19-year-old amateur boxer and U.S. Olympian Shakur Stevenson. 

As an official Olympics sponsor, Coca-Cola can avoid the complex maze of U.S. Olympic Committee regulations preventing businesses from sharing in that international glory. And this week, its Powerade brand turns to Stevenson for the latest chapter in its "Just a Kid" campaign. 

The two-minute short film below celebrates the 5-foot-7, 123-pound bantamweight fighter's journey from the streets of Newark, New Jersey, to Rio de Janeiro. Like so many athletes competing in this year's games, Stevenson's story starts in his hometown. 

In focusing on Stevenson's upbringing, evidently filled with violence, as a source of strength, the film reinforces the key themes of "Just a Kid," which has also featured such athletes as Derrick Rose and Jimmy Graham, as well as Olympians Claressa Shields and Lopez Lomong. 

A preview released last month hinted at these themes, positioning Stevenson's career as a fulfillment of his destiny rather than a personal choice. 

"There isn't a match that goes by where I don't pause at least once to think about where I came from and all that I've been through," Stevenson said in a statement. "I'm proud to be just a kid from Newark. The city raised me. I hope this commercial inspires others to believe that with hard work, where you're from and the difficulties you faced will never be a barrier to where you can go and what you can accomplish." 

A 30-second version of the film will begin airing during the Rio Games, and Powerade's online store will offer limited edition "Just a Kid from the U.S.A." T-shirts through August, with a portion of the proceeds going to the USOC fund "to support current and future Olympians."

CREDITS

Client: Powerade

Spot: "The Corner"

Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.

Creative Directors: Max Stinson, Erik Fahrenkopf, Scott Kaplan

Copywriter: Wayne Kasserman

Art Director: Cameron Soane

Producer: Jennifer Fiske

Production Company: Iconoclast

Director: Romain Gavras

Executive Producer: Charles-Marie Anthonioz

Line Producer: Julien Lemaitre

Director of Photography: Rodrigo Prieto

Editorial Company: PS 260

Editor: Walter Mauriot

Post Producer: Laura Lamb Patterson

Assistant Editor: Tyler Hurst

VFX Company: The Mill

Managing Director: Rani Melendez

VFX Producer: Daniel Midgley

Production Coordinator: Courtney Prather, Chris Lewis, Alex Benavente

Shoot Supervisor/Creative Dir.: John Leonti

2D Lead Artist: Bill Higgins

3D Lead Artist: Matt Longwell

Matte Painting: Itai Muller

Colorist: Yvan Lucas / Shed LA

Music + Sound Design: Marco Casanova

Mix Company: Lime Studios

Mixer: Loren Silber