Nike’s ads seem like they could be mini-documentaries. In an ad debuting in Saturday’s Olympic game between the U.S. men’s team and Lithuania in pool play, its subject is spawned from Nike’s own previous documentaries. The shoe giant’s “RiseAbove” mini-films have been featured here before, whether following kids on Chicago’s streets or Iraqi girls hooping. The four videos — rising above themes of isolation, conditions, limits and expectations — have been so popular, Nike says, it wanted to continue the theme to a different form, the TV spot.
In the RiseAbove spot, two players work to be the best from a continent away. If it sounds familiar, it is: One of director David Fincher‘s best spots in his long line of work for Nike revolves around the separate preparation by Troy Polamalu and LaDainian Tomlinson before they meet on the field. This time it gets a hoops spin. Just make sure you watch till the end to see what team wins the title (think of the Jumpman himself).
What do you think of the spot?
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