Nike’s Unlimited You Ad Campaign

Nike’s new ad campaign is killing it, and it’s the most well-remembered ad from the Rio Olympics. Do you remember seeing it?

This ad is the second in the “Unlimited” campaign, featuring extraordinary feats from some of the world’s best athletes. Of course, the basic structure is something we’ve all seen before: a professional voice spouting inspiration and homilies over slo-mo runners. But this ad goes further. Capitalizing on the theme of breaking free of expectations, the commercial breaks the mold…literally… about halfway through the ad (at a time that feels like it’s probably the end.)

Instead of finishing on a perfect gymnastic pose, with Nike’s “Just Do It” tagline superimposed over the screen, as the narrator coming to a classic close of “…happily ever after…” the gymnast shatters the tagline letters and the commercial continues with each athlete doing more than the narrator had predicted.

One thing that strikes many about the commercial is that it starts with a baby in a cradle. Each athlete it features initially seems like no one special… yet. One girl, looking awkward and inexperienced at a driving range, is told that she’s going to have the best swing in the state, and looks surprised by the revelation. It’s an important lesson that everyone starts somewhere. That extraordinary people aren’t born that way. They grow and develop and learn because they are willing to shatter the boundaries that hem them in.

The lesson applies for everyone; not just athletes. How does your business defy expectations? How does it break the mold? How can you reflect the outrageous confidence shown by the last boy in the commercial, who stands poised at the top of a hill with his skateboard, ready to take on the whole city, who turns to the narrator and says, “I got this.”

Elevate Promo helps grow your business’ brand by going above and beyond expectations. That’s why we offer gear from the best brands in the business… like Nike. Your name isn’t just stamped on the cheapest and most easily-available fabric, and then sent out into the world. We create extraordinary products with the highest-quality printing so that your business is well-represented and reflects the high standards that you hold yourself to. Check out our gallery for inspiration, and let us know how we can help you go above and beyond.