Nike Japan weaves uneven gender parity around a mother's apprehension and remarkable athletes to depict the barriers a girl child faces until and beyond she becomes a woman, in the new campaign.
New Girl by Nike Japan is a part of the global series 'Play New' by Nike focussing on joy, inspiration, resilience, and discovery through play. The new campaign by Nike Japan draws parallels between sports and the real-world issue of gender inequality.
Created by Wieden+Kennedy (Tokyo), creative directed by Curro de la Villa, and shot by Caroline Koning, the campaign runs in two parallel narratives, the pregnancy of the woman, and figments of imagination of what it would be like to grow up as a girl child in an unfair world.
Inspiration and resilience, two of the core concepts of the 'Play New' theme are at the forefront of this campaign. Inspiration from Japanese athletes such as tennis player Naomi Osaka, professional football player Ami Otaki, sumo wrestler Rizumu Kasai, baseball player Ayuri Shimano, figure skater Marin Honda, and Momoko Nojo, an activist, and the resilience that this inspiration drives.
Gender stereotypes, unsafe environment, inequitable opportunities, and discriminatory meetings, all await a woman's path to success, but these barriers have all been broken, the depiction of the examplar role models is the culmination of the campaign.
The montage with flash cuts, supported by the dramatic background soundtrack produce a powerful narrative that maintains the essence of the brand whilst being engaging to prove its point.