NIKE AIR JORDAN x Russell Westbrook
The brief: reposition Jordan’s Brand’s Performance category, establishing a clear ’Jordan’ POV on Basketball culture that services it’s younger consumer base—while highlighting Russell Westbrook as the season’s hero athlete amidst the launch his latest WZ.5 shoe, the Honor the Gift collab, and a collection of performance apparel and footwear.
“Performance” advertising typically exists in a familiar narrative context: the hero athlete with superhuman physical abilities/skills that elevate him above mere mortals. This paradigm is not always relatable—in reality, most people are striving to achieve their goals in ways that rarely put them on a glowing pedestal. In the same way, today’s young consumers are no longer passive receivers of messaging. They are empowered as the creators of the culture, and possess voices that start, change, and end conversations. This generation has a seat at the table. Performance is for everyone.
As part of Nike’s ‘Behind The Design’ series, we explored the actual design of the shoe itself, but in a fun, playful way that would appeal to a younger demographic and embody the Why Not state of mind.
Credits
Graphic Designer
Andrew Chiou
Production
Falcon
Director
Christo Anesti (Kid Studios)
DP
Frank Mobilio
Photographers
Nils Ericsson, Darryl Richardson
Still Life Photographer
Dan Forbes
Editor
Red Barbaza
Post Production
The Mill
Retouching
Abby Harrison
Stylist
Turner
Hair
Rachel Lee
Makeup
Mel Sandoval
Set Design
Julien Borno
Post Production
The Mill
Cast
Russell Westbrook, T’ea Cooper