Nike to Korean kids: Ignore your parents, 'Just do it'

Client: Nike

Agency: Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo

Market: Korea

Name of campaign: 'Play loud' and 'Be heard'

Campaign scope: TVC, online film, OOH, events

Details:

The film, titled 'Play loud' (above), stars Lee Young-Pyo, a Korean football legend, who plays multiple naysaying characters throughout the film. In classic Nike form, the actions of the athletes on the screen defy his assertion that sport is a 'waste of time’. 

In addition to the film, Nike Korea is launching a social activation called ‘Be Heard’ in partnership with messaging app KakaoTalk. The brand will encourage young people to record their 'Just do it' stories in their own voices, and selected recordings will be shared daily on Nike.com, Nike’s social accounts and Pikicast. The brand will also host basketball and football events.

Press release quote:

Adam Koppel, creative director, Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo:

This campaign is all about giving kids a voice. It’s not always easy to speak up, but sport lets you act it out. When you play you can be creative or rebellious, independent or free. All things that can be hard in daily life. But if they can do this on the field, maybe they will feel empowered to do it everywhere.

Campaign Asia Pacific's comments: In the west, 'Just do it' has always been about conquering one's own physical pain and mental weakness in order to achieve greatness. In this version, young people struggle not only with themselves, but also with parental and societal pressure to conform. Given the well-known pressures young Koreans face to achieve academic success, get a job and even "land a boyfriend", this additional layer of meaning should prove effective. The young woman participating in boxing seems like an especially provocative choice. Finally, we like the counterintuitive use of a real-life football hero and the way his litany of negativity turns into a ringing statement of strength and willpower as the film progresses.   

CREDITS

Executive Creative Directors: Mike Farr, Tota Hasegawa
Creative Director: Adam Koppel
Art Director: Daisuke Maki
Designers: Choro Koumae, Eriko Wakabayashi
Agency Producer: Darryl Hagans
Account Team: Ollie Pym, Ryan Johnson, Casey Yoneyama, Liwon Kim
Business Affairs Manager: Amber Lavender
Digital Planner: Greg White
Strategic Planner: Maria Correa

Production Company: Park Pictures
Director: AG Rojas
Director of Photography: Alexander Disenhof
Executive Producers: Jackie Kelman Bisbee, Scott Howard
Line Producer: Timothy Kerrison, David Hong
Production Designer: Brian Croke

Copywriting company:  Mate

Editorial Company: Exile Edit
Editor: Connor O’Neill
Post Producer: Denice Hutton
Lead Assistant: Editor Rex Lowry
Post Executive: Producer CL Weaver

Finishing: Jameson DeSantis & Jeff Aquino @ Arsenal
Colourist: Gregory Reese @ The Mill

Music Company: Walker
Composer: Eric Stamile
Executive Producer: Sara Matarazzo
Music Producer: Abbey Hickman

Sound + Mix Company: Lime Studios
Sound Designer / Mixer: Loren Silber
Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan

Photography company: Visual Factory
Producers: Chang-Hwa Jung
Photographer: Jong-Hyuk Lee

Digital production company: HS Ad

Media agency: Innocean