Redefine What an Athlete Looks Like
Nike’s mission has always been to bring innovation and inspiration to every athlete in the world. In the time I worked on Nike, we used that singular mission to empower more athletes across genders and geographies. From helping women to legitimize their sports to making youth in South Africa see what sport could really do for them. This was sweaty, important work.
Tell Me I'm Not An Athlete
To inspire more women athletes, Nike needed to look beyond traditional sport. We got into dance studios and challenged the assumptions surrounding it. Tell Me I’m Not an Athlete became a gritty rallying cry for dancers, and a challenge to how athleticism, competition and success were defined.
The work helped Nike embrace dance as a sporting category, led to the signing of its first dance athletes, and won the Euro Effie Grand Prix and Gold Euro Effie. And I like to think it changed who people imagined when they heard the word “athlete.”
Run Like A Girl
Crazy but true: for the longest time women’s running gear was not actually shaped for women’s bodies, or feet. This work aimed to cement women runners as athletes in their own right.
Running how they run. Light. Fast. And just as competitive.
My Body Is My Weapon
To extend its reach into new geographies, Nike asked us to create a campaign for South Africa. In a country where violence and crime shape the lives of many young people, sport offers another, less-considered path to success.
Leaning firmly into that insight, we showcased a new generation of South African athletes, finding their fight through sport. How athletes were seen suddenly felt more powerful.
