NIKE: “Come out of nowhere”
“I’m Lebron James from Akron, Ohio from the intercity. I’m not even supposed to be here…” That was what the “King” had to manifest after winning his second ring with Miami Heat against the Spurs on 2013.
Based on this statement Nike created the campaign “Come out from nowhere”. It launched last year within the arrival of the NBA season. A season in which Lebron had to defend the first ever NBA championship, that he had brought to Cleveland some months before by making the impossible possible.
Throughout the black-and-white film Lebron’s voiceover repeats “you are not supposed to be here” as we see footage of young athletes trying to overcome the struggles on the court and surprise all the nonbelievers. All main characters on the film are wearing Lebron’s number 23. Other things you aren’t supposed to do “get out of your neighborhood, believe that you can do it, pass the ball so much, playing like a giant no matter what or play 40 minutes and then sprint 40 feet to make a career-defining defensive play”. The film ends by showing us the back of the 18-year-old James and then how he looks now as the voiceover says “and yet…here you are”. The film was directed by Wieden+Kenedy Portland.
According to Nike, the campaign shows how what seems impossible is actually probable, and that extraordinary effort could conquer what is deemed hopeless.
Thanks to this campaign some short films about professional NBA players such as Thomas, Giannis, Booker and De Rozan -who despite all the odds made it- were uploaded.
In addition to the spots the campaign also appeared on posters and in projections of campaign images in the featured athlete’s markets and other relevant locations. Some of the featured story lines included James and Irving’s title-winning performances from last season, and Kevin Durant’s choice to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors. Other players that appeared include Paul George, Anthony Davis, DeMar DeRozan, Jordan Clarkson, D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Isaiah Thomas.
Overachievers:
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