Company: Wieden+Kennedy
Jason Miller, artistic director, Siegel+Gale:
What made me most jealous—and proud to be a New Yorker—was Nike’s excellent congratulatory spot that aired instantly after the New York Liberty closed out Recreation 5 to win New York’s first-ever WNBA title. Tremendous easy, and it hits deep. The sluggish reveal of Woman Liberty sporting a championship ring whereas holding her torch aloft is so rapid and large, even earlier than the road “Liberty has a pleasant ring to it” drops the mic and sails off into the sundown. Specializing in the torch—a logo of enlightenment and lighting the way in which forward—is such a robust and becoming means for Nike to not solely have fun the group’s accomplishment but additionally spotlight a 12 months that noticed such an thrilling rise of the WNBA model and girls’s sports activities usually.
Nike, “The Hive”
Company: Afterhrs, directed by Ben Solomon
Omid Farhang, founder and CEO, Majority
Nike is the model that’s influenced me most. Wu-Tang is the rap group that’s influenced me most. So how might I not seethe with jealousy at Rza enjoying a mystical beekeeper to mark Nike’s Wu-Tang Dunk Excessive re-release. As too many manufacturers immediately pander with Gen Z drivel, “behold the daring solider” Nike selecting iconic cultural relevance over fashionable TikTok clout chasing. The writing is beautiful. The ultimate shot of the bees turning from the Wu emblem to the swoosh belongs within the Smithsonian. Rattling you, Afterhrs and Ben Solomon. Bong bong.
Liquid Loss of life, Jet giveaway
Company: In-house artistic
Katherine Schmidt, acd, Hanson Dodge:
It was so enjoyable to observe [Liquid Death] flip Pepsi’s notorious Harrier jet mishap—a complete advertising and marketing fail—right into a cheeky win many years later. Liquid Loss of life has this distinctive means of pushing typical promoting boundaries with outrageous concepts which are nonetheless completely on-brand, enjoying proper into the anti-corporate vibe that their customers love. They at all times appear to strike that uncommon stability of untamed and strategic, and as a artistic I’m impressed by their willingness to “go there” each time.
