Foot Locker x Nike Recruit NBA’s Kevin Durant to Bring Hype for the Holidays

Foot Locker, in collaboration with Nike, has teamed up with Preacher and BURN for the launch of its global holiday campaign, ‘The Heart of Sneakers.’ Directed by Greg Hardes and starring NBA’s Kevin Durant, the commercial is part of a larger Foot Locker roll out which also features the likes of LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards, as well as musician Enisa.

The film sees NBA player Kevin Durant enlist a crew of Foot Locker’s iconic store associates, known as Stripers, to bring hype for the holidays. A dynamic edit and split screens topped off with bold graphics seize viewers’ attention as the gang go about their mission, delivering Nike sneakers to unsuspecting passers-by.

The objective was simple: create a multi platform campaign around the launch of the new KD16 shoe at Foot Locker using premium commercial and cinematic social content engaging sports fans, sneaker heads and audiences of all ages. A full-service production studio specialising in commercials and cinematic social, BURN was brought on by the brand’s agency of record, Preacher, to engage with it as a partner in the truest sense of the word. 

Brad Johns, managing director at BURN, comments: “Creating multiplatform content requires trust and an open mind. It’s tempting to stick to the ‘cutdown’ model, however, it’s our job to develop content that engages and feels appropriate to the platform and audience while maintaining a sense of craft that drives results”

Across the entire campaign, which also featured Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and singer-songwriter, Enisa, BURN and Preacher established different looks for each funnel. Conscious of the distinct demands of TV, social, and DOOH content, they constantly challenged their ideas to find solutions for the native platform each spot was meticulously designed for.

For TikTok, the team researched key trends with Preacher that would influence casting, technical approach and post and for the commercials, wanting to develop an entirely new look for Foot Locker that felt exciting and anthemic. 

Greg Hardes, founding director at BURN, adds: “Having the trust of the team at Preacher was a huge deal on this. Things were moving at a rapid pace and knowing they had my back creatively allowed me to dive in headfirst and enjoy the ride. We had huge shoot days with the Foot Locker Hype Squad, plus unpredictable athlete schedules, but we somehow pulled it off. I'm really proud of our production team for that.”

Ryan Durr, creative director at Preacher adds: "We wanted the launch to feel as big and exciting as an actual sneaker drop. Bringing in some of the biggest names in the NBA, plus a global music talent, was a great way to boost the scale and energy of the work. Holiday campaigns typically pull on heartstrings, but our intention was to bring heat and hype to the season. That feeling you get when wearing a fresh pair of kicks is what we’re hoping to evoke in this campaign."