→ Nike Sisyphus Launch Campaign
w/ Imogen-Rose Hillier
Nike has cemented itself as the brand for people who never give up - but that’s no good for someone in Ancient Greece. They didn’t have Nikes back then.
For eternity, Sisyphus has been rolling a massive boulder up a hill in Tatarus (The Greek underworld). His punishment dictates that once he nears the top, the boulder falls right back to the bottom, forcing him to start again.
That was until recently though. The boulder is now sitting firmly at the top of the mountain and the Nike Sisyphus Hiking Shoe got it there.
Through a pairing of Nike’s running shoe expertise and the latest in hiking technology, the Sisyphus Hiking Shoe is built to make history.
We designed a upmarket launch campaign involving outdoor activations, print ads, social media and a website.
We start by putting large obstructive boulders in major cities around the world and posting photos of them mysteriously on Nike’s social accounts.
Then, we buy spreads in fashion magazines and start promoting the shoe itself- this time with a date.
Just before the launch we reveal it, as well as the story behind their creation - a boot ‘for every punishing step’.
It’s been designed for the most challenging of scenarios, with stainless steel lace clips, thick sole and a reinforced heel.
You can’t break with the past without being on the cutting edge, so not only is the boot itself revolutionary, but the copy and art reinforce a sense of futuristic edge.
We push footwear, and mythic boulders further as we invoke the links between Nike and Greek mythology (given that Nike is the goddess of victory!)
The executions, like the shoe, are timeless - merging the stories of the past with the demands of the future - The Nike Sisyphus Hiking Shoe - for those condemned to keep moving.