Independent Wieden + Kennedy launches an ambitious multi-spot campaign for Nike during tonight’s Olympics opening ceremony.
Nike has unveiled its much-anticipated “We Have Softball” commercial on 2008 Olympics opening ceremony and wins millions of hearts at one go. The soft ball ad has amazingly melodious Donna Fargo’s ’70s country hit “Happiest Girl in the Whole USA” and a montage of girls on a sandlot and adult Olympic athletes playing softball.
At the end of the ad a defiant title card reads: “We have softball…You can have everything else,” and the TV advertisement ends with Just Do It logo.
In “A Dream Deferred,” actor Danny Glover recites the stirring Langston Hughes poem and runner Sanya Richards is shown with her family, fans and coach Clyde Hart. The spot ends with Richards, who battled back from a rare disease to compete in the games this year, tearing down the track as Glover speaks the poem’s final “explosive” line.
“A New Team” features a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Marvin Gaye from the NBA Playoffs in 1983. His passionate effort provides the soundtrack for footage of current U.S. team members and nostalgic shots of stars such as Michael Jordan in their Olympics “Dream Team” years. The spot ends with players arms raised in unity.
Versions of the spots range from 30-seconds to 2 minutes-plus.
Shannon Worley served as producer. Creative directors Jelly Helm, Jeff Williams, and Steve Luker led the creative team at Wieden in Portland, Ore., that included Shannon McGlothin (art) and Nathan Goldberg (copy). Epoch Films’ Stacy Wall directed.
Beaverton, Ore.-based Nike spent $190 million advertising in 2007, $75 million through April 2008, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus.
Credits:
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy, Portland
Creative Directors: Jelly Helm/Jeff Williams/Steve Luker
Copywriter: Nathan Goldberg
Art Director: Shannon McGlothin
Producer: Shannon Worley
Agency Executive Producer: Ben Grylewicz
Production Company: Epoch Films
Director: Stacy Wall
Production Supervisor: Eric Sederovitz
Line Producer: Marc Marrie
Head of Production: Jerry Solomon
Director of Photography: Tammy Reich
Editorial Company: Whitehouse Editorial
Editor: Lisa Gunning
Asst editor: Justin Beere
Producer: Justin Kumpata
Audio Post Prod. company: Eleven Sound
Mixer: Jeff Payne
Online/Effects: Ring of Fire
Producer: Casey Conroy
Color Correction: CO. 3, Mike Pethel, Matt Turner Titles/Graphics: Maurie Enochson @ Buck
Music: Donna Fargo, “Happiest Girl in the Whole USA”
Sound Design Co: Stimmung
Sound Designer: Gus Koven
Play ball with Stacy Wall