Stay Fit, Wear Russell

WestWayne Crafts $20 Mil. TV, Print Push
ATLANTA–WestWayne of Atlanta launches its first advertising for Russell Athletic this week with a new television commercial that poses the question, “Are you an athlete?” before presenting some unconventional ways to answer yes.
The $20 million print and television branding campaign is the first extensive effort from the Alexander City, Ala.-based athletic wear supplier in four years. Ads suggest that everyone can be an athlete simply by staying fit. The work invites consumers to identify with individuals who enjoy daily activities, not those participating in professional sports or elite levels of competition.
In a series of quick-cut vignettes with slow-motion sequences, questions like “Are you an athlete if you play to lose?” accompany visuals of a father allowing his young son to dribble past him on the basketball court.