Athletes Gasp for Oxygen in Nike's Dramatic Ode to Air

Breathing. Everybody does it, but it's especially important for athletes. A new ad for Nike VaporMax Air sneakers features a mix of pro and amateur sports enthusiasts gasping for oxygen as they exert themselves. The :60 starts out slow, as each person gears up for the task at hand—a sprint, a swim, a dead-lift, a penalty kick, a free throw and so forth. Before long, they are huffing and grunting as they push it a little further, a little harder. Eventually, they sigh—one last big exhale as they take in the cheers of the crowd—or just meet their own big goal. "Air moves you," reads the onscreen tagline. The brand's VaporMax Air shoes bounce in the frame, as a jogger takes off down a damp street. Get it? They're as good as the stuff that fills your lungs and oxygenates your blood, and they're also named "Air." [kickout id="1"] Wieden + Kennedy Portland created the spot. The better-known endorsers include track and field athlete Deajah Steve, NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo, pro surfer John John Florence, Paralympian and triathlete Sarah Reinertsen, and snowboarder Sani Alibabic. The agency describes the ad as "an ode to the elemental force that pushes every athlete forward." Overall, the spot is plenty serviceable. As usual with W+K's Nike commercials, the pacing of the dramatic build is perfect, and crescendoes to a clear point. The concept allows for clever use of sound design, which puts a fresh spin on the sports montage. And while the pun is a bit tough to swallow, not every ad can be pure poetry. Sometimes the creatives have to, you know … just do it. CREDITS Client: Nike Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Portland Creative Directors: Alberto Ponte, Ryan O'Rourke, Chris Groom, Antony Goldstein Creatives: Tim Arts, Stefan van den Boogaard Head of Production: Matt Hunnicutt Senir Producer: Erin Goodsell, Jake Grand Producer: Mauricio Granado Associate Producer: Emily Knight Director of Business Affairs: Amber Lavender Business Affairs Manager: Rylee Millerd W+K Studio: Chris Streger Creative Manager: Shannon Hutchinson Account Team: Chris Willingham, Vanessa Miller, Anna Boteva, Simone Jackson Media/Comms Team: Danny Sheniak, Reme DeBisschop, Emily Dalton, Stephanie Campbell, Graham Wallace Strategy: Andy Lindblade, Henry Lambert Traffic Team: Tim Bell, Maggie Harasyn Production Company: Anonymous Content Editorial: Joint Editorial Editor: Peter Wiedensmith Assistant Editor: Kristy Faris Post Executive Producer: Leslie Carthy Producer: Chris Girard VFX Company: The Mill Creative Director: Phil Crowe 2D Lead Artists: Chris Knight, Nick Tayler 3D Lead Artists: Michael Comly, Dam Waron Post Executive Producer: Anastasia Von Rahl VFX Producer: Andrew Gilson Shoot Supervisoer: Chris Knight, Robert Sethi Color Company: Company 3 New York Colorist: Tom Poole Producer: Alexandra Lubrano Mix Company: Joint Editorial Mixer: Noah Woodburn Audio Assistant: Natalie Huizenga Music Company: Walker Composer: Jóhann Jóhannsson Executive Producer: Sara Matarazzo Motion Graphics Company: W+K