Nike Writes an Ode to Mo Farah's Smile and Sweat on the Eve of His Retirement

Nike is celebrating Sir Mo Farah's contributions, and sacrifice, with a powerful bit of poetry. A new ad from Wieden + Kennedy London takes a look at the star runner's grueling training program, pairing footage of ice baths and treadmill grimaces—familiar scenes in sports ads—with a fresh spoken-word piece (by London's George the Poet), all paying homage to Farah's illustrious career amid expectations that he will retire after the world championships now underway in London. The minute-long spot opens with a shot of Farah's beaming face. "You smiled a smile that made it look easy—made people stop and stare," says the voiceover, pointedly past tense. "The happiness you felt you gave it so freely. They would never guess what got you there. To be precise, I mean the sleepless nights, I mean the uphill struggle to the steepest heights." [kickout id="1"] It's not enough, though, to lionize the man, deserving as he is. Nike has to make its message useful to consumers, namely create a myth that everyday athletes can internalize (to be more like Mo). "And in that space of your lonely performance, suddenly you become your own reassurance," continues the spot. "That's when you realize you don't need assurance, only endurance. You fought through the darkest hours of the night. So this is light work, the power is in the mind." To close, it returns to form. "Now you’re adorned in the glory of the final mile. And it's all in the story behind your smile." While the rhyming couplets might risk being a little tedious, their content delivers well enough, and the overall arc is a characteristically pitch-perfect buildup to Nike's classic tagline, bridging the gap between professional endorser and target amateur. The mix of glowing praise, pop wisdom and visual testimony distill Farah's eye-popping accomplishments into a minute-long, perfectly achievable goal, without seeming smirking or disrespectful. "Just do it," reads the final on-screen copy—just become one of the greatest runners in world history. Call it Nike's zen koan—it's a patently absurd argument … then again, at the end of the day, there's really only one way to the top. CREDITS Client: Nike Media Channels: Digital, VOD, Social, OOH Clients: Philip Jacobson, Bradley Firth, Katie Franz Markets: Western Europe Agency: Wieden + Kennedy London Creative Director: Anders Stake, Adam Fish Creatives: Tom Hall and Kate Baker Executive Creative Directors: Tony Davidson, Iain Tait & Kim Papworth Group Account Director: Ryan Fisher Account Director: Sophy Woltman Account Manager: Sophie Lake Head of Planning: Paul Colman Planner: Paula Bloodworth TV Producer: Anna Neilson TV Production Assistant: Iona Patterson Production Company: Rogue Films Director: Mark Zibert Executive Producer: Charlie Crompton / Orlando Wood Line Producer: Sophie Hernandez Weldon Director of Photography: Ross Giardina Editorial Company: Final Cut Editor: Dan Sherwen VFX Company: Time Based Arts VFX Supervisor: Jo Gutteridge / Tom Johnson Sound Studio: Factory Studios Sound Designer: Jack Hallett // Anthony Moore Producer: Becky Bell Music Company: Pitch & Sync Executive Producer: Simon Robinson Print Production: Art Buyer: Maisie Willoughby Photographer: Jamie Morgan Production Company: Rosie Serlin Associates Creatives : Tom Hall, Tom Bender & Kate Baker (Art Direction) Freddy Taylor, Philippa Beaumont, Andrew Bevan (Copy) Design: Ryan Teixeira,Tobias Bschorr Artwork: David Brodie, Indy Basra Retouching : Stanley's

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Nike Writes an Ode to Mo Farah's Smile and Sweat on the Eve of His Retirement

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