Nike signs first refugee athlete, unveils powerful ad for the Refugee Olympic Team

Nike, which is the official uniform supplier to the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, unveiled a campaign for the team this week focusing on the athletes’ future rather than their past—and also signed its first endorsement deal with a refugee athlete. The hero spot (above) features boxer Cindy Ngamba, who just signed the Nike deal, as well as judoka Mohammad Rashnonezhad, cyclist Eyeru Gebru and 800-meter runner Perina Lokure Nakang. The concept is centered around a demeaning question asked of refugees a lot: “Where you really from?” Their answers offer a poetic rebuke to that line of thinking. The spot was directed by Vellas through production company 100%. The work with the Refugee Team is part of a larger Nike collaboration with the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) to help displaced people find community and a sense of belonging through sport. The collaboration will provide access to more inclusive play and sport environments—particularly for women and girls—that boost confidence and improve overall mental health. Creative efforts around the Refugee Olympic Team have a lengthy history. Ogilvy New York’s campaign for Amnesty International that created a flag and anthem for displaced Olympic athletes won the Grand Prix for Good at Cannes Lions in 2017. Popular Creativity stories from Ad Age: Sign up for our daily Creativity newsletter to see the best stories of the day.

Nike signs first refugee athlete, unveils powerful ad for the Refugee Olympic Team

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