Stating that “sport has the power to inspire, create community and provide a platform for positive change,” Nike has gathered a roster of established and up-and-coming stars and paired them with everyday, non-pro athletes for a multi-platform effort, “Best Day Ever.”
Under its umbrella “Play New,” campaign “Best Day Ever” includes such global Nike spokespersons as Serena Williams, LeBron James, Mike Trout, Rory McElroy, Giannis Antetokounmpo, A’ja Wilson, wheelchair tennis star Diede de Groot, Marie-Antoinette Oda Katoto (Paris Saint-Germain), Jamaican track & field standout Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Sky Brown (13-year-old Olympic skateboarder).
Also appearing in the campaign is U.S. track & field star Sha’Carri Richardson, the 21-year-old sprinter who was headed to Tokyo but will not compete in the Olympics after testing positive for a chemical found in marijuana following her victory in the 100-meter finals at the Olympic trials last month.
“‘Best Day Ever’ imagines an unlimited world of what sport can be,” Dirk-Janvan Hameren, Nike CMO, said via the company.
“While some moments in the spot are purposely whimsical, the key is that it doesn’t just represent some far-off utopian tomorrow. It speaks to the notion that we can create a better future, for all athletes, through the joy of movement and play.”
Under the tag line, “If you have a body, you are an athlete,” the campaign takes watershed moments from the present and projects how sports and athletes — including people whose motivation is to improve their own lives through casual sports — might evolve and make an impact in the not-too-distant future.
“Looking forward, in my mind, the true ‘Best Day Ever’ is always yet to come,” said van Hameren.
“It’s up to us to keep making them. That’s why, if someone asks what my best day ever of sport is, I’ll say, ‘It’s tomorrow.’”
According to the campaign, “Tomorrow, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce becomes the first woman to run 100m in under ten seconds.
“Tomorrow, Diede de Groot debuts her namesake video game.
“Tomorrow, A’ja Wilson convinces world leaders to declare sport a human right.
“A shoe will grow from a seed.
“The WNBA will surpass the NBA in popularity.
A woman will run a marathon . . . on Mars.
“Marie-Antoinette Oda Katoto will score seven (goals) in seven minutes.
“LeBron will score 120 (points in one game).
“Sky Brown will score a 1620.
Tomorrow, we will celebrate new champions (showing Sha’Carri Richardson in the competition).
“Also, tomorrow, we will all find a new respect for athletes and mental health. (Shows a media conference room setup but with no media and no athlete, a nod to Naomi Osaka).
“And what if a person somewhere in the world goes out on their very first run.
“Because tomorrow could be the best day ever for sport if we can just imagine it.
“Of course, the Internet will break.”
According to Van Hameren, “Our mission is what drives us to do everything possible to expand human potential.
“We do that by creating groundbreaking sport innovations, by making our products more sustainably, by building a creative and diverse global team, and by making a positive impact in communities where we live and work.”
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