Nike embraces the original ethos of Air Max

The same, but different. That’s the vibe behind the new Nike Air Max 90 campaign, and we’re here for it.

Nike Air Max began in 1987 with the Air Max 1, designed by Tinker Hatfield and famous for making the Air cushioning visible for the first time. The shoes blurred the line between sport, streetwear and sneaker collecting, with each new version riffing on the original concept.

Nike recently launched the Air Max 90 ‘Above the Influence’ series, a celebration of the iconic shoe that urges wearers to step away from trends, algorithms and outside pressure.

Directed by Jesse Plum with creative direction from Anouk Nanette, the work (rolled out with partners including The Athlete’s Foot) positions the Air Max as a symbol of ‘doing your own thing’.

Of course, Nike usually nails its marketing (frankly, it has the budgets to do so), but these efforts stand in contrast to the more high-impact, adrenaline-pumping action of its recent ads.

The campaign taps into an exhaustion with performative cool and reminds people that the most powerful statement is still personal style, which we presume is why the action in these ads is very singular and niche.

Air Max has always been about self-expression, and this series doubles down on that heritage in a manner that evokes the spirit of the sneaker - simple, visually striking and worth taking a bit of time out to appreciate.

We’re not quite sure what the lamppost spot was all about, but I guess ‘doing your own thing’ doesn’t always require an explanation.