Nike kickstarts World Cup 2014 campaign; urges players to 'Risk Everything'

Nike has rolled out a film starring FIFA World Player of the Year 2013 Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, Brazilian international Neymar and England’s Wayne Rooney ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2014, which starts in June.

 

The film conceptualised by  Wieden + Kennedy shows three parallel stories, one of each of the players.

 

To the sound of footsteps, the film opens with a shot of a man (Ronaldo) walking through an airport. As he steps out, fans run around to get a glimpse of their hero. The pandemonium continues on his way to the stadium with the streets of Lisbon filled with his jerseys outside stores and billboards. The previous night’s commentary plays on the radio: “Ronaldo scores! Who else but Ronaldo!?”

 

Rooney's story begins even before he exits his hotel room through the voice over. Commentators remind him that in his career, he is yet to score for England in a World Cup. Media hounds him as he exits the hotel, portraying the intense scrutiny Rooney faces in his home country and beyond.

 

Neymar, who has recently started wearing the celebrated No.10 shirt for Brazil, watches supporters from inside the team bus. The voice over asks, "Can Neymar live up to the number 10 legend?' At the stadium, he walks in the hallway and gets a glimpse of the great No.10 shirts of the past. Neymar gives away only a hint of a smile.

 

The film ends with the trio shown heading out individually out of the dugouts for their respective games. The film leaves viewers with the message: ‘Pressure shapes legends. Risk Everything.’ As the footsteps return to the soundtrack, the films ends with a message for the viewers: ‘Start your journey.’

 

On the film, Davide Grasso, CMO, Nike, said, "Playing for your country is an honour every footballer wants, but with that honour comes immense pressure and responsibility. The film aims to show how some of the world’s best players succeed despite that pressure, through their willingness to risk everything. The expectations – from a nation’s hopes to the historic power of a shirt – are massive, but these are players who thrive on that responsibility.These players play on the edge because they know great moments usually spring from attempts to try something out of the ordinary. Think about Zlatan's overhead kick last year, or Rooney's goal last weekend. Those moments do not occur without fearless risk-taking.”

 

He added, “We watch football for those unexpected moments of brilliance in large part because they inspire us to attempt our own. Those moments awaken inside us all the realisation that we too can achieve the impossible. This film embodies that sentiment and reminds players in every country at every level: If you are prepared to Risk Everything, there’s no telling what you can do.”

 

Credits

 

Client: Nike

Agency: Wieden + Kennedy

Director (film): Jonathan Glazer