Nike is not messing around with its creative direction

Nike is relaunching the iconic 'T90' football boots, and the campaign took creative director and brand consultant Jo Bird by surprise.

This isn't advertising. This is conversation.

The T90 has always been about more than sport. It's about fashion, street culture and art. It's about "Joga bonito" nostalgia: a Portuguese phrase meaning "play beautifully".

That's why Nike, as well as collaborating with Thomas Subreville’s ILL-STUDIO, employed the artistic choreography group (LA)HORDE to work on this campaign. They have transformed the football pitch into a performance space focused on skill, creativity and flair—rather than tactics and results.

Rich in symbolism

A dove (peace), a flag (identity) and people climbing on top of each other to ascend the pole. These aren't random visuals. They symbolise unity, aspiration and collective strength. This is a huge statement for Nike. They know it's elusive. But they also know the subtleties will make the perfect statement.

A light touch

The performance art continues with the dark, theatrical lighting choice. It's intense. It's isolating. It feels like history and modernity combined. There's power and struggle and expression. We're invited to feel alone, yet completely at peace.

Character development

Featuring 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri is Nike's way of saying, 'We cherish our history, but we strive for our future.' The collision of old and new here is what makes this campaign so exciting.

The internet is flooded with noise, copycats and robots, but every now and then, we are gifted with a splash of magic. The visionaries say, "Hold on, everyone is doing the same thing. Let's do something different”. And they wake us up.

These individuals remind us that we have a choice every single day to abandon the status quo. And the best way to do that is through confident creativity.

It's not about being the loudest in the room. It's about finding clarity in your story, telling it with conviction and being consistent over time.

Read more on Nike’s (and indeed Adidas’) creative positioning here.