Key facts
| Brand | Nike |
| Year | September 2018, for the 30th anniversary of “Just Do It” |
| Agency | Wieden+Kennedy Portland |
| Production | Park Pictures, Joint Portland |
| Narrator | Colin Kaepernick |
| Featuring | among others Serena Williams, LeBron James, U.S. women’s soccer team |
| Length | about 2 minutes |
What is it about and how was it made?
In the roughly two-minute spot Colin Kaepernick narrates stories of people who were called crazy and achieved great things. Serena Williams, LeBron James and the U.S. women’s soccer team appear alongside him. It premiered on TV during the first game of the NFL regular season.
“Dream Crazy” was part of the campaign for the 30th anniversary of “Just Do It” and was created at Wieden+Kennedy Portland.
The spot won the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy for Outstanding Commercial. It also prompted boycott calls: some consumers burned Nike apparel in protest.
Read the numbers with care
Reports on business impact conflict: one source cites a 31 percent sales increase in the first week (unnamed sources), another a 36 percent rise in Nike’s share price over the year. Neither number is a documented cause-and-effect measurement.
What brands can take away (our interpretation)
- Attitude polarises, and that is intended: choosing everyone means being remembered by no one.
- The campaign builds on the brand core (30 years of “Just Do It”) instead of a new slogan.
- Awards and sales are separate measures of success. Do not mix them.
Planning your own spot? The TV spot production guide explains the process, the agency brief template helps with the commission.
Sources
- CBS News: Kaepernick’s Nike ad wins an Emmy
- Yahoo: Nike’s Dream Crazy ad gets Emmy nomination
- Sports Illustrated: Dream Crazy Emmy nomination
This article only states facts we can substantiate from the sources linked below. The section “What brands can take away” is our own interpretation.