Crispin Porter, the highly celebrated ad agency, has just unveiled their latest work for Nike after being awarded the running-shoe account back in April.
The move felt like a slap in the face to long-term partnerships in the agency world - Nike and Wieden & Kennedy (the agency that came up with Just Do It and who currently handles most of Nike’s work) are where they are today because of their close working relationship.
The work by Crispin is mediocre at best. Nike is trying to appeal to more hard-core runners. Hard-core runners don’t like mainstream brands. Why? Hard-core runners are like the pockets of cool kids in high-school. Running for these people is like a way of life. Wearing a mainstream brand shows that you just don’t get it, you’re not cool and you definitely don’t understand the intricacies of being a hard-core runner.
The payoff to the ad is the line: Need Motivation?
Umm. Am I missing something because i’m pretty sure hard core runners don’t need motivation. They run in the snow. They run in the rain. If that’s not motivation I don’t know what is.
Poor strategy. Mediocre creative. Decent production. Equals an overall uninspired idea. Sorry Crispin maybe you should stick to making fast food ads.
Rating: Uninspired. 1.5 stars.
- Nish
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4 Comments
Although for the most part I agree with you about the new nike ad, I don’t think they are targeting the hard core runners, it seems like they are going for that guy who knows he needs to do cardio but hates going on the treadmill, i was that guy. For me and a lot of others the motivation was music to pump you up but I definitely think they overdid it with the ad.
There is nothing worse than big and expensive and overdone draining away to nothing…a message that should have been rejected when a junior writer came up with it. “First let’s wow ‘em with a big budget Hollywood action montage, then let’s rhetorically ask if they ‘Need motivation?’ and then we’ll cut to a cool guy with dreadlocks running with an iPod in his ear!” In a normal world, the rest of the conference room would stare at the junior creative and someone would say “Let’s move on.” Only in this case, Crispin and Nike actually made that ad.
O’malley - I couldn’t agree more. What’s interesting is if you go through Crispin’s website they have a mantra that they treat their client’s budget like the money was coming out of their own bank account. Do you think they would do the same execution if that was the case?! I sometimes wonder how bad ideas are actually sold. And will continue to wonder when I see executions like the Nike one.
Fayyaz - not sure about the strategy as I recall reading the reason Nike decided to move some of their business to Crispin was because of their focus on hard-core runners. But I could be wrong. Let me know if you see something else that provides some more clarity to whatever they are trying to do. I for one don’t have a clue…
I love ads that scream big Hollywood montage, give them an Oscar or two! And nish, hold onto that Razzie for just a big longer.
This ad screams survivial, struggle, the fight for life. Every scene depicts running in some form during different centuries. They are all running because their motivated to survive. The caveman, the aboriginal kid running to tell elders of an attack or foreign visitors, even Pocahontas hunting for dinner. Each individual was self-motivated to survive.
Cue, buddy on the treadmill and he has no reason to run. He sits at his desk, pounding the keyboard, playing solitate when the boss is away and hates the 9-5 grind. He needs to get motivated about whats he doing on the treadmill.
If you’ve ever try to just run on a treadmill sans music or tv - its boring.
Inset - nike+. Play some tunes, get on the treadmill and run and learn to survive the grind.
But here is the real beauty of this ad: it doesn’t appeal to the hard-core runner.
That small percentage of the pie, those runners swear by their New Balance kicks. You are correct - they don’t need the motivation.
But that other 95% of the pie - most likely just made a New Years resolution to get in ’shape’. Shell out $50 for the nike+ accessory and the gear another $200 for the clothes.
I see what you’re doing Crispin…supersizing in retail.
Ka-ching! Nice job, Crispin!
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