25 years after his first triumph at Augusta National, Tiger Woods returned to The Masters 2022 and Nike leveraged spiking interest around the player and the tournament through a digital-first campaign which showcases the golfer’s quarter century Masters journey and is narrated by rapper ScHoolboy Q.
The 60-second commercial champions Woods’ return: which came 13 months after a car accident shattered his leg so severely that doctors considered amputation.
The video was posted across Nike’s social channels and amplified by the player himself from 7 April, coinciding with the pre-tournament practice rounds, and aired during the competition which took place from 8 to 10 April.
The spot, which blends nostalgia with looking to the future via archive footage and new scenes, asks the viewer directly whether they would have had what it takes to succeed, against all odds, like Tiger. It features ScHoolboyQ wearing a signature Woods red shirt (which he famously wears on the final day of a major when he is in contention), features scenes of young black golfers inspired by Woods and even includes a ‘Tiger Would’ play-on-words.
It isn't just about golf, it’s about succeeding against all odds.
Tiger is never done.@tigerwoods @ScHoolboyQ pic.twitter.com/31b2aqVuZo— Nike (@Nike) April 7, 2022
It was created by Nike’s primary creative agency Wieden+Kennedy and was directed by Flex God Daps through production company Anonymous Content.
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Narrator ScHoolboy Q has spoken publicly in the past how golf changed his life and how he sees himself as an embodiment of how Woods almost singlehandedly opened up the world of golf to people of colour.
Woods has been a long-time Nike ambassador and the endorser relationship began back in 1996 when Woods first turned professional. Ever since then the Nike swoosh logo has adorned the golfer’s hats and shirts, and then later his clubs and shoes (although, during this tournament, he switched his footwear to a rival brand due to accident recovery reasons) and his signature ‘TW’ apparel collection.
The Oregon-based sportswear behemoth has stood by Woods through several crisis and this spot reminds us of previous ‘Woods returns-from-a-crisis’ campaigns from Nike including its ‘Earl & Tiger’ confessional commercial in 2010 and its 2019 ‘Same Dream’ initiative.
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