NIKE | TAG (Play campaign) | 2002
The whole city gets dragged into one game of tag / NIKE "TAG"
In a subway station, a man being chased dives onto a train. The doors close right on his pursuer's arm, just out of reach. Before you know it, the whole city seems to be caught up in one game of tag.
The problem
In 2001, Nike's sales were three times Reebok's, but Reebok was going on the offensive, signing Allen Iverson and Missy Elliott and striking a deal with the NBA. With Adidas and New Balance also closing in, Wieden+Kennedy launched the "Play" campaign, handled personally by Dan Wieden and Hal Curtis. No celebrities, no star power — just everyday life in the city.
The insight
Copywriter Mike Byrne landed on this idea after watching a documentary about play and seeing a little girl playing at an airport. Not sport that demands seriousness or results — just chasing and running away. The playfulness that grown-ups forget. Judge Paul Briginshaw called it "a smart pivot that moved beyond pro sports."
The idea
Directed by Frank Budgen. Amid the noise of the city, a man fleeing someone reaches a subway train. His pursuer stretches a hand toward the closing doors but can't quite reach — and seems to give up, walking away. But then he spots another man who just missed the train, and the chase is back on. Even the pigeons are fleeing. At the end, all that's left is the swoosh and a single word: "Play."
What happened
The ad aired from June 2001, alongside three companion commercials including "Shaderunner." It won the Grand Prix at Cannes Lions, Nike's second win in four years. According to The Gunn Report, it was one of the most awarded commercials of the year: Frank Budgen became the most awarded director, and Nike overtook Volkswagen to become the most awarded brand for the first time in ten years.
Afterthought
Grown adults playing tag between buildings, in subways, at crosswalks. It's ridiculous, and it looks like an absolute blast. A brand that had spent years talking about seriousness with "Just Do It" used this one ad to simply say: play. I think that's exactly why it hasn't aged a bit.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Grand Prix 2002
