Nike's new rousing ad is an editing masterpiece

W+K Portland combed through 4,000 clips and chose 72 to combine them into 36-split screen moments that seemed to merge into one.

Nike's ads are like energy drinks. Think stunning visuals, pumping music, catchy script, hypnotising voice overs and a rousing feel that nine out of ten times will have you up and ready to 'just do it'. This time too, Nike doesn't disappoint.

For its third ad in its "You Can’t Stop Us” campaign, the sporting giant celebrates the inspiring power of sports. In what is one of the most unique ad spots in recent times, a split-screen shows us the pairing of 36 athletes from different sports to illustrate "the kinetic movement of one sport to another."

To make the ad, W+K combed through 4,000 pieces of footage, chose 72 sequences, and combined them to create 36 split-screen moments; the result is terrific and seamless and makes this perhaps one of the best ads to come out after the pandemic struck us.

Its arrival coincides with the return of the NBA that joins the ranks of several sporting tournaments that have returned to action after the pandemic halted their activities. While the stadiums remain empty, the athletes push themselves to the limit at each game and as Nike says, "Through those actions, sport shows us what an equal playing field looks like — and reminds us that a better future is possible."

Voiced by American footballer Megan Rapione, the ad features everyday and elite athletes including Megan Rapinoe, LeBron James, Naomi Osaka, Eliud Kipchoge, Caster Semenya, Cristiano Ronaldo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Serena Williams, Colin Kaepernick, Kylian Mbappé, and the Indian women's cricket team.

“Players may be back on the pitch, but we are not going back to an old normal. We need to continue to reimagine this world and make it better,” says Rapinoe. “We have all these people in the streets, using their voices, and those voices are being heard. I ask people to be energized by this moment and not let up. I believe it’s everybody’s responsibility to advocate for change.”

Also Read: "We came back from the impossible": Nike's new ad on hope, perseverance, and comebacks

We covered Nike's earlier ad under the same campaign that showed us the comebacks of some of the top athletes in sports such as Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Cristiano Ronaldo, Tiger Woods, and LeBron James. The ad intended to serve as a motivator during the pandemic induced lockdowns.