REFLECTION OF A LEGACY: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, DURING A VISIT TO NIKE’S WHQ IN HASHTAG PORTLAND, I HAD ONE OF THOSE RARE MOMENTS WHERE A FOOTBALL BOOT TRANSPORTED ME BACK IN TIME. SEEING THIS PAIR OF BOOTS, A MODERN REINTERPRETATION OF THE ICONIC HASHTAG R9 BOOTS, MADE ME FEEL LIKE A KID AGAIN. IT REMINDED ME OF THE HISTORY THESE SHOES CARRY – OF FOOTBALL’S BIGGEST STAGE, THE 2002 WORLD CUP FINAL IN JAPAN AND ONE OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS TO EVER GRACE THE PITCH: RONALDO NAZÁRIO R9 AKA HASHTAG ELFENÓMENO.
THIS PROJECT/PRODUCTION WAS ABOUT MORE THAN RECREATING THE PAST. IT WAS ABOUT REINTERPRETING AN ICON FOR A NEW GENERATION HASHTAG GEN-Z, IN A WAY THAT RESONATES. HOW DO YOU TRANSLATE THE LEGACY OF A BOOT THAT MADE HISTORY INTO SOMETHING TODAY’S YOUTH DESIRE, CRAVE AND ULTIMATELY LOVE?
FEARLESS. LEGENDARY. EFFORTLESSLY BOLD. IN THIS HERO AV, WE BROUGHT THE STORY TO LIFE WITH THE HELP OF AN OUTSTANDING MODEL WHO PERFECTLY EMBODIED THE ESSENCE OF THE HASHTAG R9 LEGACY AND THE ATTITUDE OF TODAY ON-COURT PRECISION AND OFF-COURT SWAGGER. EVERY DETAIL – FROM THE ICONIC HASHTAG R9 RE-ISSUE JERSEY TO THE GRILL AND MATCHING GLASSES PAYS TRIBUTE TO SOCCER’S PROFOUND INFLUENCE ON CULTURE AND STREET STYLE.
IT’S NOT JUST NOSTALGIA – IT’S ABOUT BUILDING A NEW LEGACY. THESE BOOTS ARE A REMINDER THAT EVERY STEP YOU TAKE IS A CONNECTION TO THE PAST AND A MOVE TOWARD SHAPING THE FUTURE. BECAUSE NIKE’S STYLE ISN’T JUST WORN – IT’S LIVED. WATCH HERE THE BTS-VIDEO
CREW
11teamsports
BRAND: Nike Football EMEA
CREATIVE DIRECTION: Nelson Ndongala
CAMPAIGNING: Jan Gehrig
PHOTOGRAPHY: Pangea
ASSIST: Maik Lojewski & Niels Freidel
LIGHT: Marco Binger
VIDEO: Pangea
BTS: Niels Freidel
TALENT: Immanuel
TEAM
CLIENT: NAME
CREATIVE DIRECTION: NAME
PHOTOGRAPH: NAME
VIDEO: NAME
THE TREATMENT
THE ORIGINAL MERCURIAL VAPOR BOOTS FROM 2002, CELEBRATING 12 YEARS SINCE THEIR GROUNDBREAKING DEBUT. THIS MODEL, INITIALLY LAUNCHED IN 2002, MARKED A MAJOR SHIFT IN SOCCER BOOT DESIGN, EMPHASIZING LIGHTWEIGHT CONSTRUCTION TO MAXIMIZE SPEED AND AGILITY ON THE FIELD.
THE 2002 NIKE MERCURIAL VAPOR WAS REVOLUTIONARY IN ITS CONSTRUCTION. WITH A SLEEK, MINIMALIST DESIGN, IT FEATURED A SYNTHETIC UPPER THAT ALLOWED FOR A CLOSER, LIGHTER FEEL, SETTING THE STAGE FOR FUTURE SPEED-FOCUSED BOOTS. THE BOOTS WERE BUILT WITH ADVANCED MATERIALS AND A STREAMLINED SILHOUETTE TO PRIORITIZE ACCELERATION AND RESPONSIVENESS—QUALITIES THAT QUICKLY MADE THEM POPULAR AMONG TOP PLAYERS. BUT THE PLAYER EVERYBODY ASSOCIATE WITH THE BOOT IS AND WILL BE ALWAYS RONALDO THE O FENOMENO.
CREW
CLIENT: 11teamsports
BRAND: Nike Football EMEA
CREATIVE DIRECTION: Nelson Ndongala
CAMPAIGNING: Jan Gehrig
PHOTOGRAPHY: Pangea
ASSIST: Maik Lojewski & Niels Freidel
LIGHT: Marco Binger
VIDEO: Pangea
BTS: Niels Freidel
TALENT: Immanuel
TEAM
CLIENT: NAME
CREATIVE DIRECTION: NAME
PHOTOGRAPH: NAME
VIDEO: NAME