Caster Semenya addresses her critics in Nike’s latest ad

AG Rojas directs powerful spot for Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam starring the controversial South African runner

Published On
Sep 11, 2018

Editor's Pick

Nike profiles Caster Semenya, the South African athlete whose career has been dogged by controversy, in the sports brand's latest “Just Do It” ad.

In a powerful spot by Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam, directed by Park Pictures’ AG Rojas, Semenya addresses her critics head on by asking a series of questions. “Would it be easier for you if I wasn’t so fast? Will it be simpler I stopped winning? Would you be more comfortable if I was less proud?” We also see her journey to success in reverse, as footage of the adult Semenya rewinds to backwards recreations of her running as a young girl and taking her first steps as a baby. “That’s too bad,” she concludes. “Because I was born to do this.”

Throughout her career, Semenya has been subjected to speculation about her natural levels of testosterone. After “gender testing,” she was withdrawn from international competition in 2009 before being reinstated in 2010.

The film is running on South African TV and online, while the campaign also includes a double page print spread in South Africa's biggest Sunday newspaper and a typographical GIF for social media. 

Semenya's appearance follows hard on the heels of Nike's use of another controversial athlete, Colin Kaepernick, in its latest, very divisive, U.S. campaign.

Credits

Date
Sep 11, 2018
Agency :
Wieden & Kennedy-Amsterdam
Executive Creative Director :
Eric Quennoy
Executive Creative Director :
Mark Bernath
Creative Director :
Evgeny Primachenko
Creative Director :
Hannah Smit
Creative Director :
Craig Williams
Head of Production :
Joe Togneri
Executive Producer Broadcast :
Michael MacMillan
Broadcast Producer :
Magda Czyz
Executive Producer Art :
Maud Klarenbeek
Art Producer :
Stacey Prudden
Planning Director :
Stephane Missier
Communications Planner Director :
Hillary Heath
Group Account Director :
Kathryn Addo
Account Director :
Amber Martin
Account Manager :
Cassandre Beck
Account Manager :
Molly Rugg
Head of Design :
Joe Burrin
Studio Director :
Lizzie Murray
Designer :
Gustav von Platen
Studio Artist :
Noa Redero
Project Manager :
Loes Poot
Production Company :
Park Pictures
Director :
AG Rojas
Director of Photography :
Rina Yang
Producer :
Nick Goldsmith
Executive Producer :
Stephen Brierley
Editing Company :
Trim Editing
Editor :
Dominic Leung
Editor Assistant :
Dave Davis
Audio Post :
Wave Studios
Sound Designer :
Ed Downham
Sound Designer :
Alex Nicholls-Lee
Post Production :
Glassworks
VFX Supervisor / Lead Compositor :
Kyle Obley
Colorist :
Scott Harris
Executive Producer :
Anya Kruzmetra
Art Director :
Teresa Montenegro
Copywriter :
Christopher Cryer
Business Affairs :
Fiona Fan
Producer :
Tatyana Alexandra
Artist :
Cam Ballantyne
Title :
Caster
Studio :
Beatworms
Compositor :
Jan van de Laar
On Set VFX Supervisor :
George Webster
Production Coordinator :
Salt Ibraeva

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