Nike: Write The Future
Nike’s new video ad: Write The Future
Interesting to note that this video is “unlisted” – which means it’s not available via Google Search or YouTube search. You must know the URL of navigate through the hard links. Being unlisted would definitely have an implication on the amount of views traffic.
For a video of this brand and this calibre, 97,000+ views isn’t a great deal, and maybe it’ll explode shortly – but still interesting to note. (May 21, 2010)
So what do we like about it? It’s a brilliant piece of story-telling. But my new colleague, Rose Kelly, at Weber Shandwick, really opened my eyes to the power of the video:
I don’t like football but I loved this ad as it humanised the players and the pressures they are under. If they fail they disappoint millions and if they score, they become Gods. Imagine living under that pressure. The execution was incredible not to mention the level of detail and multiple stories taking place. I may watch a World Cup match now.
Isn’t this what marketing, social media, digital communications should be about?
Creating an emotional connection, leading to a clear outcome.
7 Comments
Brilliant Ad – any idea what the budget would’ve been?
No idea man, would be interested though. A lot though?
I disagree with unlisted videos having a negative impact on the number of views of the video.
I believe Nike initially made the video unlisted (as it is not anymore by the looks of it) just for viral purposes – engaging early adopters on social networks with a ‘secret’ link would encourage them to share it and would have helped spread positive sentiment (currently its at 9:1 positive according to socialmention.com) before the official ‘launch’ of the video.
Nike’s got the outcome they wanted, as the video is now one of the top rated youtube vids this week.
I don’t actually think I said anywhere that it was a negative impact, just that it would have implications on views.
Be interesting to find out weather just forgot to flick the switch.
Did these ‘early adopters’ know that the vid was a secret link? I thought it might have just been something I noticed cause I deal with this stuff all the time.
Would love to find out what success looks like to Nike. Got to be massive right? But how massive would be an amazing picture to paint.
I interpreted ‘implication’ as negative, but if that wasn’t your POV then totally cool.
I guess I saw it that way because I can see how shutting off a video would have hurt the initial number of views and if their metrics were based just on the number of hits (not counting other just as important SM things like conversation etc) then I’m sure Nike would have been a bit annoyed if their expensive video wasn’t getting more than 1M hits at least within the first 24hrs of launching the vid (compare that to Lady Gaga’s Telephone video which I’m guessing would have seen more than a couple of million hits within the first day of release).
I think the early adopters would have noticed – just as you noticed the Google FAQ I noticed the same thing and I think the emphasis of the video being unlisted at the top of the page would have led others to understand the video was ‘secret’. I really hope it was something that Nike consciously did, otherwise I really am overanalysing the situation ;)
Without talking about monetary ROI through World Cup products, I think the successfulness of this campaign would hinge on engaging and maintaining a positive brand presence within the community with the video. However, there is more to the campaign than just the video – I noticed some billboards for it today: http://bit.ly/aofNgx
Yeah, I just meant it would have to be having an effect either way.
I notice Google FAQs etc, because I produce YouTube videos for clients. But yeah, would love to know their thinking – anyone got a contact at Nike?
As internet professionals we’re rarely the audience, and tend to have a unconscious bias.
Which community would also be a good piece of context to have too yeah? Like Rose hates soccer, and this video converted her. In one viewing. Pretty major implication (positive ;))
Cracker ad. Makes me more pumped for the world cup!
Austalia really needs some good ads to get people pumped for the event but they seem lacking this time around. A missed opp by the brands for sure!
Remember this ad? Frickin awesome! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja-iCrwpH0E