Nike Mercurial Dream Speed

Dear future me…

Cristiano Ronaldo is the biggest star in the world—the largest Instagram following, the biggest reach, the most recognizable profile. So, for his signature edition of the Nike Mercurial, the strategy wasn’t to elevate his presence or to make him a hero. It was the opposite: Remind the world that CR7 was once just a lonely kid with a dream.

Despite COVID precautions and no international travel, we were able to mobilize local crews to shoot with Cristiano in Turin, Italy and then with two young footballers in London. Combining those shoots with a dream-like illustrative style, the story took shape as we drifted between the reality of young dreamers and everything CR7 has gone on to accomplish.

And if that wasn’t enough, we also planned, crafted, and launched a live digital event with CR7, Sam Kerr, and Bruno Fernandes all sharing training routines, goal-scoring techniques, and what it has meant to have a dream—then to achieve it.

Credits/
Art Direction: Kevin Coatman, Adriano Furtado, Jamie Oelrich
Narrative: Gui Glezer, Matt Anderson
Writing: Amie Champagne, Justin Block
Digital Design: Matt Marosz, Michael Showell
Production: Jennifer Hartwell, Nial Givens, Mervonce Osborne

Hi. I’m Matt Anderson — a creative director, agency leader, and strong advocate for diversity/equity/inclusion. I live in Portland, OR. If you’d like to work together, let’s talk.