“Am I a bad person?”
Nike has pushed boundaries with its latest Olympic campaign, Winning is not for everyone, a bold statement that explores the raw, unfiltered drive necessary to be the best.
Teaming up with their long-time creative partners at Wieden + Kennedy Portland, Nike’s new campaign will be sure to turn heads and provoke meaningful debates.
The star-studded cast includes iconic athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kobe Bryant, Serena Williams, and several other Olympians who are set to light up Pars later this month, including LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Sha’Carri Richardson, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, and A’ja Wilson.
At the heart of this ad campaign is an iconic hero film, depicting these athletes at the top of their game, with their unwavering determination on full display. Narrated by the unmistakable Willem Dafoe, the film’s monologue dares viewers to question the very nature of greatness.
“You can’t win them all, but you should sure as hell try. Bring on the odds, play like you mean it. Because if you don’t want to win, congrats. You’ve already lost,” Nike wrote.
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Nike’s ad has received over 11 million views till date on Instagram along with a flood of enthusiastic reviews from fans.
“Whoever decided to have willem dafoe narrate deserves a raise,” a user wrote.
However, there were also numerous criticisms regarding the message Nike chose to depict in their campaign, questioning what they chose to advertise.
“That’s not right, Nike, winning doesn’t require no empathy and no respect. I dislike this message,” a user wrote.
“If you’re guessing what’s wrong with the world, well this is it,” another commented.
“Literally the OPPOSITE OF OLYMPIC SPIRIT,” another wrote.
The campaign also received backlash from Kevin Durant, who was was left out of the ad and voiced his displeasure publicly on Instagram. Durant tagged Nike, questioning, “@nike tell me, Am I a bad person?????” and shared nostalgic photos of past Olympic teams with captions like, “Been wit yall every step of the way @nike” and “Even during the quarantine Olympics @nike.” Fans rallied to Durant, understanding his frustration.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are set to kick off on July 26th.
