Richard Sherman is a football player who speaks his mind, and this has often gotten him into trouble with the media. However, his confidence and honesty are also what make him an excellent football player, which is why Nike decided to celebrate his unique personality with an ad campaign that encourages athletes to aim for the very top.
The ad features a Richard Sherman quote being taken out of context and leading to a media firestorm.
In addition to the protagonist Richard Sherman, the ad also features cameo appearances from Johnny Manziel, Victor Cruz, Ndamukong Suh and other football players.
According to Sherman himself, the ad campaign "speaks to the fact that the bar is continually being raised, which means I need to constantly elevate my training to meet my own expectations."
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Authenticity in Advertising
- Disruptive innovation opportunity for marketers to embrace the unique personalities and voices of athletes in ad campaigns.
- Controversial Marketing
- Disruptive innovation opportunity for brands to leverage controversy and create conversations around their ad campaigns.
- Out-of-context Messaging
- Disruptive innovation opportunity for advertisers to play with out-of-context messaging to capture attention and ignite discussions.
Sectors Adopting This
- Sports Apparel
- Disruptive innovation opportunity for sports apparel brands to partner with outspoken athletes and create bold and authentic ad campaigns.
- Media and Entertainment
- Disruptive innovation opportunity for media and entertainment companies to produce and distribute controversial ad campaigns that generate buzz.
- Advertising and Marketing
- Disruptive innovation opportunity for ad agencies and marketers to explore creative ways of using out-of-context messaging to engage audiences and create powerful advertising campaigns.
