Nike’s Latest Anthem, Narrated by LeBron James, Is Filled With Hope for a Broken World

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, increasingly sophisticated consumers—and advertising industry observers—have been paying closer attention to brands, and are quick to point out those that come across as disingenuous or opportunistic in this time of crisis. Nike is one Fortune 100 company that has accumulated a tremendous amount of goodwill over these last few months. The brand’s CEO John Donahoe, who took the role in January, led a list of most respected top bosses during the Covid-19 crisis. Additionally, Nike managed to buck a sharp downward trend in retail, and had better-than-expected sales in its third quarter. On the creative end, a series of ads in the “You Can’t Stop Us” campaign began with a rallying cry encouraging people to stay fit while quarantined. Each spot, including one with home workout footage, captured this challenging moment in history while retaining the brand’s “Just Do It” ethos of optimism and sport as a community. A new ad, launched today, continues that narrative. [kickout id="1"] The 90-second spot, “Never Too Far Down,” was created by Wieden + Kennedy Portland. Humanity's comeback story, featuring world-class athletes, is what one would expect from a Nike ad. Narrated by LeBron James, the film features elite Nike athletes, including Serena Willams, Naomi Osaka, Tiger Woods, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Nadal, Megan Rapinoe and others. In classic Nike and W+K fashion, the simplicity of impactful imagery, sound (in this case, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' excellent version of David Bowie's Life on Mars?) and words make a significant impact. The latter is particularly impressive, with obvious metaphors to the current crisis. “We found a way when it seemed hopeless,” James says in the ad. “We came back. We should have been long forgotten. We did it time and time again. Right now, we’re fighting for something bigger than a win or championship.” The three-act structure in the minute and a half spot vacillates from struggle and pain, to finding a way through, to, ultimately, triumph. It’s a hopeful, inspiring message that we're all hoping to experience before too long. The ad will run during the live broadcast and streaming of Tiger Woods’ charity golf match with Phil Mickelson, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. “This pandemic has caused so much tragedy, but sport can still be a positive force for so many people,” Woods said in a statement. “I’m hopeful that we can all return to our sports when the time is right, and I am looking forward to this weekend and creating a platform to raise money for Covid relief and hopefully remind folks of the levity and joy that golf and other sports can bring to the world.” CREDITS: Client: Nike Campaign: Never Too Far Down W+K Portland Executive Creative Directors: Eric Baldwin, Jason Bagley Creative Directors: Alberto Ponte, Ryan O’Rourke Art Director: Lee Jenninigs Copywriter: Kevin Steele Head of Production: Matt Hunnicutt Executive Producers: Jake Grand, Krystle Mortimore Producer: Emily Knight Associate Producer: Shani Storey Group Brand Director: Andre Gustavo Brand Director: Kate Rutkowski Brand Manager: Steve Smith Group Strategy Director: Paula Bloodworth Global Group Media Director: Daniel Sheniak US Group Media Director: Reme DeBisschop Associate Media Director: Emily Dalton Media Supervisor: Graham Wallace Sr. Business Affairs Managers: Laura Caldwell, Adam Caviezel Integrated Traffic Managers: Sabrina Reddy, Billy Mucha Sr. Creative Operations Manager: David Ramirez Studio Manager: Michael Frediani Retoucher: Amy Ellars Designers: Nick Humbel, Mitch Wilson Production Company Production Company: Park Pictures Director: Lance Acord Executive Producer: Jackie Kelman Bisbee EP / Producer: Caroline Kousidonis Production Manager: Joe Faulstich Editorial Company: Spot Welders Editor: Robert Duffy Assistant Editor: JC Nunez Assistant Editor: Fatos Marishta Managing Partner: David Glean Executive Producer: Carolina Padilla VFX VFX Company: Shipping + Handling Creative Director, Lead VFX: Casey Price Creative Director, VFX: Jerry Spivack VFX: James Buongiorno, Johannes Gamble, Evelyn Lee, Rachel Moorer Managing Partner: David Glean VFX Executive Producer: Scott Friske, Dustin LaForce Color Color Company: A52 Colorist: Daniel De Vue Color Executive Producer: Thatcher Peterson Color Producer: Jenny Bright Mix Mix Company: Joint Editorial Audio Mixer: Natalie Huizenga Executive Producer: Leslie Carthy Music Supervision Company: Walker Senior Executive Producer: Sara Matarazzo Executive Producer: Stephanie Pigott Producer: Danielle Soury Music Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross “Life on Mars?” by David Bowie