Nike | Dream Crazier | 2019
The Strength of Actually Saying It / Nike "Dream Crazier"
This 90-second spot, narrated by Serena Williams, aired during the 2019 Oscars broadcast. No new technology, no imagery you hadn't seen before—and yet it became one of the defining ads of the year.
The problem
This was the follow-up to the previous year's "Dream Crazy." This time the theme was a double standard: when a male athlete shows passion, he's called passionate, but when a woman does the same, she's called "crazy." Get angry, and you're "hysterical." Get too good, and "something must be wrong with you."
The insight
Serena herself, who narrates the ad, had once been described after a match as "unhinged." Rather than just showing strong, cool women, the copy names exactly what's inside those labels, spells it out in plain words. The fact that it goes this far to say it outright is what makes it powerful.
The idea
Alongside gymnast Simone Biles and snowboarder Chloe Kim, it was the scene with Becky Hammon that hit hardest. It's an image that makes you feel that when someone pours in real intensity and seriousness, gender simply doesn't matter. At the end, Serena says: "So if they want to call you crazy, fine. Show them what crazy can do."
What happened
The campaign won the Grand Prix in both the Outdoor category and the Entertainment For Sport category at Cannes Lions, and a Wood Pencil at D&AD.
Afterthought
Excelling in sports as a woman means clearing a bar that men never even have to dream about reaching. That's why it's "Dream Crazier." Even now, it's the kind of ad that comes back to mind out of nowhere.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Grand Prix
