Nike Leave Nothing in NFL Spot

Nike Football is leaving nothing in its latest NFL TV ad. The spot shows edited scenes from games featuring Shawn Merriman (American football outside linebacker for the San Diego Chargers) and Steven Jackson running back for the St. Louis Rams, accompanied by the theme from the Last of the Mohicans soundtrack.

Starting from one end of the field as Merriman explodes through his opponents, the environment around him seamlessly transitions from day to night, through rain and snow. As he nears the end zone Merriman forces a fumble as he sacks the quarterback. Jackson recovers the ball and makes the same grueling journey back through the elements. The sights and sounds of this crusade culminate in a tension-filled moment as Jackson makes a dive for the touchdown. His arm emerges from the pile and the arm holding the ball inches closer to the line as the screen goes black and the music cuts out, leaving us in an eternal state of anticipation.

Click on the image below to play the video.

Go to Nikefootball.com – you can download it my clicking on the Leave Nothing feature. Choose the link called See More Action.

Credits

The Leave Nothing campaign was developed for Nike at Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, by executive creative director Steve Luker, Jelly Helm, art director/copywriter Alberto Ponte, creative director Jeff Williams, art director Ryan O’ Rourke copywriter Ari Weiss, agency executive producer Ben Grylewicz and agency producer Kevin Diller.

Filming was shot by director Michael Mann (Heat, Miami Vice) via Alturas Films, with executive producers Marshall Rawlings and Misa Kageyama and producer Leslie Vaughn.

Editor was Haines Hall at Spotwelders. Sound was designed by Ren Klyce at Mit Out Sound. Audio post was done at Lime Studios. Music was arranged by Trevor Jones.

Visual effects were masterminded at Asylum by VFX executive producer Michael Pardee, VFX producer Mark Kurtz, VFX production coordinator Ryan Meredith, 2D Roto supervisor Elissa Bello, 2D Roto/compositors Eric Evans and James Lee, 2D Roto artists Michael Liv, Huey Carroll, Meredith Hook, Junko Schugardt, Mark Duckworth and Laura Murillo, CG producer Jeff Werner, CG supervisor/Particle FX Sean Faden, Houdini effects/Massive animator Dan Smiczek, animator Scott Smith, animator/rig Kevin Culhane, TD lighting Jeff Willette, Denis Gauthier, lighter Rob Stauffer, Modeler Chad Fehmie, Toshihiro Sakamaki, Scott Brust, Greg Stahl, tracker/matchmover Mike Lori, Eddie Offerman and Andrew Cochrane.