Global – The sports brand is encouraging people to embrace failure and find joy in discovering new sports.
Its Play New campaign spotlights a series of elite athletes having a go at a different sport. The ad by Wieden+Kennedy features personalities such as basketball player Sabrina Ionescu, sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, and Paralympian track and fielder Blake Leeper. Each is shown attempting a new activity – from golf to baseball – and enjoying it despite being a novice. In this way, Nike is challenging people to get out of their comfort zones through sport, and overcome the fear of not being good at something.
Melanie Auguste, vice-president of global brand marketing at Nike, comments: ‘The reason we are encouraging people to ‘play new’ is to celebrate that notion of getting back to the joy of discovering and trying something for the first time – the joy of letting loose a little bit.’
With many consumers shunning the pursuit of perfection, brands are taking the opportunity to find Fortitude in Failure – and in this case, pushing their audiences to do the same.