Footwear giant Nike partnered with Acronym and San Diego-based Ash Thorp to create a visual sneaker release campaign for the latest member of the Vapormax family. The marketing campaign consists of an ultra-glitchy and dystopian animation. The visual aesthetics of the sneaker release campaign bears almost no reference to the ultra-lightweight silhouette and the unbelievably comfortable cushioning that Nike's Vapormax has to offer.
The animation is an amalgam of cyberpunk and Western styles that offer a playful, yet disturbing, glance at the Vapormax model in between glitch frames. The animation quickly alternates between a Western film-inspired mid-desert rock and a Blade Runner-style Nike-branded building with luminant cacti in the vicinity.
Surely, the unbelievable contrast between the sneaker campaign and the actual properties of the footwear is what makes this artwork stand out and capture attention.
Glitchy Sneaker Campaigns
Nike's Vapormax Sneaker Release Boasts Dystopian Visuals
Trend Themes
1. Dystopian Campaigns - More and more brands are leveraging dystopian and cyberpunk aesthetics in marketing campaigns to captivate their audience and stand out in a crowded market.
2. Ultra-glitchy Visuals - Using ultra-glitchy visuals in marketing campaigns is becoming increasingly popular, as it creates a disruptive and eye-catching effect.
3. Playful/disturbing Aesthetics - Visual campaigns with playful yet disturbing aesthetics are on the rise, as they create an emotional response in the audience that can strengthen brand engagement.
Industry Implications
1. Sportswear - Sportswear companies could leverage dystopian and cyberpunk aesthetics in their marketing campaigns to create a stronger emotional response in their audience and showcase their products in an unexpected way.
2. Streetwear - Streetwear brands could experiment with ultra-glitchy visuals in their campaigns to differentiate themselves from competitors and capture the attention of their target audience.
3. Entertainment - Entertainment companies could draw inspiration from the playful yet disturbing aesthetics of this Nike campaign to create engaging and memorable promotional materials for their movies, TV shows, or games.