In the face of America’s sociopolitical climate, major brands have been making an effort to draw lines in the sand. These messages became incredibly clear last week, when a string of abnormally woke Super Bowl commercials landed onto our screens. It’s a nice change of pace from the usual shoving products down our throats, and an excellent way to use paid advertising.
The growing resentment for corporations aligning themselves with ignorance and fearmongering, has advertisers shifting the narrative and promoting equality. Nike is one of those aforementioned brands, and their latest campaign backs this all up. In a somber yet powerful tone, the sportswear giant casts athletes and celebrities to share why they stand up for equality. You can check it out below, via YouTube.
“The ball should bounce the same for everyone”, says the cinematic voiceover. It’s a terrific message, and a valid plea for unity during an undoubtedly tough time. The piece itself is aptly titled, Equality, and it stars LeBron James, Serena Williams, and Kevin Durant, among others. It’s scored by Grammy Award-winner, Alicia Keys, who delivers a soulful rendition of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come”.
Nike also released a behind-the-scenes video of the shoot, and interviewed some of its stars about the initiative. “My view is that sometimes we as a people, we give everyone equal opportunity on the court, we give them an equal chance,” LeBron James says. “We look at them the same way. Off the court we might overlook people or say ‘Oh, they don’t deserve the same opportunity. Oh, they look different, or they’re not like me.’ When in all actuality, we all are.” You can watch LeBron and others in the special featurette below. Obviously, this awesome message for equality runs deep throughout everyone involved.
