Nike Champions 11 Female Soccer Stars in Time-Travelling 'What the Football' Campaign
Ahead of this summer’s historic Women's World Cup, which kicks off on Thursday 20th July, Nike has launched 'What The Football', an epic, multi-film campaign championing female footballers from around the globe. The campaign, which features 11 top footballers, energises this incredible momentum in women’s sports and underscores the opportunity to serve a new generation.
To kick things off, Nike created seven unique, anthemic spots to elevate its female footballers like never before. These six films feature Brazil’s Debinha (a.k.a Débora Cristiane de Oliveira), Norway’s Ada Hegerberg, Australia’s Sam Kerr, China's Wang Shuang and the USA’s Megan Rapinoe and Sophia Smith. Each film plays into the athlete’s personality and style of play, so that no two are the same. You can check out all of these films at the bottom of the story.
All of these athlete stories come together in the anthem, which features 11 iconic footballers including Ada Hegerberg, Alex Morgan, Asisat Oshoala, Chloe Kelly, Debinha, Grace Geyoro, Kadeisha Buchanan, Megan Rapinoe, Sam Kerr, Sophia Smith and Wang Shuang.
The anthem opens with a daughter and father gripping the edge of their seats while watching the iconic 1999 Brandi Chastain penalty kick, with the world title on the line. The ball hits the net — score! — and Dad has a comical slip, catapulting him 24 years into the future. What follows is a celebration of past and present-day football talent, the electric drama of sport, and the infectious fun of this summer’s tournament.
The campaign was created by Wieden+Kennedy Portland, and the anthem spot was directed by Iconoclast's Alaska.
“At Nike, we have always firmly believed that the voice of the athlete has the power to change the world,” says Tanya Hvizdak, VP, global women's sports marketing at Nike. “For the last 50 years, we’ve worked with athletes who share our values and vision to move the world forward through the power of sport. As we look to the future, many of our female athletes have a fresh perspective and ambition to create even bigger change. Together with them, we are partnering to deliver new product innovations and services, support communities, and expand sport for the next generation.”
Check out the six supporting spots to the anthem film below.
