During the NBA's return to its regular activities, Nike surprised the world with a commercial that was all the rage on social networks and became one of the most visited YouTube videos of 2020. The games of the most important basketball league in the world, as well as the vast majority of sporting events had been suspended since the end of March due to the advance of the health crisis.
The commercial for the sports brand is called "You Can't Stop Us" and lasts 1:30. It was created by the advertising agency Wieden + Kennedy, the firm is one of the most important in the world in its field. The company was founded in 1982 and has offices in Portland, Amsterdam, New York, London, Shanghai and Delhi.
You Can't Stop Us has a fantastic and amazing editing production. To carry out the work, which is narrated by the soccer player Megan Rapinoe, more than 4000 images were used. The Nike video clip features split-screen edited video footage from all of the most popular sports. It includes renowned figures such as basketball players LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kyrie Irving, footballers Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé or, tennis players Williams sister and Rafa Nadal as well as American football, volleyball, swimming and athletics teams. The sequences have the characteristic of being united by continuity. It is really a more than outstanding work.
The message of the Nike clip refers to the crisis that the world of sports is going through in 2020 and society in general. It begins with an allusion to the spirit that characterizes every athlete to constantly improve and advance and how that will not stop even if activities are suspended in the ways we know them. It also adds to the context the struggles against racism and discrimination that were aroused thanks to the Black Lives Matter movement in which sports figures have adopted a very active role with constant demonstrations.
While the overall reception was good and positive, You Can't Stop Us offended a section of the Muslim community for a portion of the advertising in which a woman in Muslim clothing is "transformed" into a young woman wearing a flare in the colors of the LGBT community. According to the opinions of the people, the video emits a negative conception of being Muslim and presents as a good thing the change that is appreciated in young women. Many users also reminded the company of the mistreatment that some sectors reported by the firm towards their employees.
Nike surprises with a piece that is as controversial as it is well made.