Nike's Hank Aaron ad sets the stage for baseball's future heroes

Nike’s “Play New” campaign has opened up viewers’ minds to possibilities and potential in the world of sport. It’s captured stories such as that of Olympic medal-winning skateboarder Layssa Real, who was once just a budding “fairy” on wheels, and imagined an idyllic future in which women’s teams garner more excitement than men’s and athletes’ mental health is treated with care, among other things. In yet another film from the campaign, created out of L.A.-based agency Hyphenated, the brand recounts the storied past of baseball great Hank Aaron to inspire the next generation of his sport’s heroes. The ad weaves together scenes of Aaron as well as young baseball players on the field, as the legend’s voice delivers an uplifting message: “No matter how tall and how high the mountain is, if you try hard enough, and just keep trying, you can reach the top.” The brand’s baseball division Nike Diamond debuted the video on social media on July 20th, the day “Hammerin’ Hank” hit his 755th and final home run in 1976 while playing for the Milwaukee (now Atlanta) Braves. The spot is running on Nike and MLB social channels. It arrived ahead of Hank Aaron Weekend, which the Atlanta Braves will be celebrating from this Friday, July 30 through Sunday, August 1. The Braves will be sharing the film on its channels as well with paid support from Nike. According to Will Esparza, co-founder of Hyphenated, the brand’s ask was simple—"to reconnect baseball back to it's simple truth—the joy of a stick, ball and the streets—and away from the unwritten rules of the sport that turn off today's unabashedly authentic and expressive youth,” he says. “Sport is a powerful platform for change, and this was an opportunity to bridge elite athletes dominating the sport and everyday athletes playing the game their way. Paying homage to the great Hank Aaron was a way to uplift and encourage all the faces and bodies playing the game their way, to encourage them to take new swings or, as Hank said, to 'keep swinging'.” Aaron passed away this year on January 22 at the age of 86. At the time, Major League Baseball honored his life with this moving retrospective.

Nike's Hank Aaron ad sets the stage for baseball's future heroes

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