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“Am I a bad person? Tell me, am I?” actor Willem Dafoe asks in the voiceover for Nike‘s latest ad, as clips of elite athletes including basketball forward LeBron James, runner Sha’Carri Richardson, Italian fencer Bebe Vio and tennis icon Serena Williams flicker across the screen.
“I have no empathy. I don’t respect you. I’m never satisfied. I have an obsession with power,” the narrator continues. “I’m irrational. I have zero remorse. I have no sense of compassion. I’m delusional. I’m maniacal. I think I’m better than everyone else. I want to take what’s yours and never give it back. What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine.”
Beyond the parameters of an arena, stadium or court, the answer to Dafoe’s question would be a firm yes. However, for the sports stars spotlighted by Nike, these aren’t the traits of a villain, but the attributes that make a winner.
“Winning Isn’t for Everyone,” Nike reminds us, introducing its summer campaign, which will run during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Paris.
This first unapologetic hero ad will form part of the sportswear brand’s biggest-ever planned media investment around the tournament, as it looks to return to its clear tone of voice, compete against rivals like Adidas and On, and revive sluggish sales.
Developed by longtime agency Wieden+Kennedy, the insights for the campaign came directly from Nike’s roster of athlete ambassadors, who shared that they aren’t just motivated by the idea of winning—they are relentlessly fueled by it.
“This is about celebrating the voice of the athlete,” said Nicole Graham, who recently rejoined Nike as chief marketing officer. “It’s a story about what it takes to be the best, the legacies that have yet to be shaped and the dreams that will be made real. It reminds the world that there’s nothing wrong with wanting to win.”
“Nike’s story starts with the athlete story. It always has. And it always will,” she added. “‘Winning Isn’t for Everyone’ shows that anyone can be a winner if they are willing to do what it takes.”
The campaign will include athlete extension films, images, social media extensions and out-of-home ads in cities globally.