AdFreak Nike’s Striking Ad With Rex Tso, the Unbeaten Hong Kong Boxer, Isn’t About Winning Michael Mann directs W+K Shanghai spotBy Angela Natividad |October 11, 2017Share By Angela Natividad |October 11, 2017Share Some of our favorite sports ads aren’t so much about winning as gritting your teeth against adversity. Nike has always been especially talented at driving this point home. Renowned Hong Kong boxer Rex Tso appeared in one such ad—ironically just before notching his 22nd win in an Oct. 7 fight. In it, Tso is violently knocked down in the ring as a referee stands over him, counting down toward a K.O. This heart-stopping moment for Tso is juxtaposted with other local athletes, including high jump champion Cecilia Yeung, faced with debilitating discouragement in arenas of their own. Directed by Michael Mann and creatively led by Wieden + Kennedy Shanghai, the spot ends with each athlete finding the wherewithal to keep going (to rousing success!), and the tagline, “You can’t guarantee a win, but you can guarantee a fight.” “Hong Kong has been through a lot recently, and I feel deeply for my hometown,” says W+K Shanghai ECD Vivian Yong. “In this film, we envision the city as a group of athletes suffering setbacks and self-doubt, who believe the only way to make a comeback is to give it everything you’ve got, regardless of the outcome.” Rex Tso is a professional boxer who won the golden belt during WBC-ABCO in 2012. His record remains untarnished by failure, and media entities have dubbed him The Wonder Kid. In December 2016, he ranked first in super-flyweight boxing—making him the first Hong Kong boxer to ever hit the top of the list. A position like that is precarious—just ask Manny Pacquiao. Every win is followed by another fight, and you can’t stay on top forever. Nike sidesteps the inevitable end of Tso’s reign by not glorifying him as an icon. Instead, it preemptively underlines what he shares with us, athletes or not: Sometimes life throws punches. (Some of us would be grateful for a mouthguard.) The glory isn’t in guaranteeing a win; it’s in guaranteeing a fight. Asked what the film meant to him, Tso expressed gratitude that Hong Kong athletes are finally seeing recognition outside their home base. “I am touched and honored to be featured in it,” he says, “and hope I’ll be able to inspire other athletes to push boundaries they never thought possible.” The :90 film was supported by out-of-home executions throughout Hong Kong. Some gloriously dramatic images of them appear below. CREDITS Client: Nike Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Shanghai Executive Creative Director: Ian Toombs, Vivian Yong Creative Director: Terence Leong Senior Art Director: Justin Phang Senior Copywriter: Liu Wei Head of Integrated Production: Sanne Drogtrop Executive Producer: Bernice Wong Art Producer: Angela Liu Editor: Leon Yan Senior Planner: Leon Lin Business Director: Dino Xu Associate Account Director: Jim Zhou Senior Account Executive: Xueer Ren Head of Project Management: Nicole Bee Project Manager: Olivia Yuan Business Affairs: Jessica Deng, Kathy Zhan Head of Designers: Fish Ho Designer: John Yao, He Fan Production Manager: Vic Zhang Digital Imaging Artist: Changqing Lee FA Artist: Austin Hu Marketing Director: Jessica Sinn PR Manager: Evelyn Hsu —Print Production Company: Bloc Productions Photographer: Paul Calver Stylist: Athena Wang Executive Producer: Fran Lam Producer: Mandy Wu —Film Production Company: RSA Director: Michael Mann President RSA Films: Jules Daly Executive producer: Marjie Abrahams Producer: David Mitchell DOP: Anthony Poon Camera Operator: Roberto De Angelis Production Company: RSA Asia Managing Director: John Payne Executive Producer: Marco Leung Music Composer Nick Britell Editorial: Lost Planet Editor: Hank Corwin Executive Producer: Gary Ward Assistant Editor: Jason Hinkley, Juliana Rodzinski Producers: Tim Kirkpatrick, Evan Cunningham Mixer/Sound Design: Charlie Keating Continue Reading Pages: 1 2 Adweek Adweek