How Do You Find Your Greatness?

[Kishi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsXRj89cWa0&feature=player_embedded

Right, so. I saw this while I was browsing the Interwebs, and it seems that this has generated a lot of discussion. On one hand, people look at this and they're inspired at the message of it. Other people see an obese kid being exploited in the name of a company.

What do you guys think?

[GoGo]

...

[azsf]

there is zero exploitation here.

and yeh, crap ad. it's selling the reality of the situation, which is almost baffling. the narration is so dry, i don't see how anyone could feel inspired by this. im sure the copy could work, but the execution is awful.

the thing is, when it comes to this message (anyone can be great) it's important to remember the ratatouille message: it's not that EVERYONE can be great, but that greatness can come from anyone. Everyone being great is the idea behind the incredibles (when everyone is super, no one will be). in short; the ad misses its own point and fails. oh, and i use pixar films because most people have seen them and the themes are so heavy handed.

[KillerGriller]

aw come on, that kid at the end manning-up and jumping off the high board? We've all been there, the content is relatable. Chubby kid/exploitation aside.

Also, it's re-iterating that getting out there and doing something, ANYTHING, is better than sitting there and wondering why your life is crappy. Sounds like a one of the tenants of a webforum I frequent...

[snowMan]

Exploitative? Yes, but in a good way. All ads are exploitative to some degree. If Nike had an ad for a new running shoe that features someone with an athletic build (single-digit BF%) with rippling muscles as s/he ran, it would be exploiting all of the diet and training that athlete put in to develop his/her body. I think its refreshing to see someone depicted in a Nike ad that isn't in perfect atheletic shape. Seeing someone I could relate too is much more memorable and encouraging. Seeing an athlete run around in Nike's would inspire a "meh" from me, but seeing someone in poor shape improving their fitness would be much more likely to inspire something like "hey, I could do that."

[azsf]

kid at the end manning-up and jumping off the high board

did we watch the same ad?

yes, you can do that snowman, but do you think about going out and buying a pair of nikes to do it in? this ad fails so hard because it sells lowest common denominator, which is the exact opposite of its tagline "greatness". "just do it" could have worked for this, but it would still be off brand. nike is usually amazing with its ads, so maybe this will grow and we'll see the kid progress through a series of ads or something (which would make sense to the tagline and be motivating and give the audience a story to connect to).

oh and memorable nike ads? please:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBZtHAVvslQ

[concretecavewoman]

A nationally-run Nike ad? The kid could probably pay for Harvard on the residuals alone, unless his parents are named Caulkin...

Joking aside, I bet this has the potential to inspire people.

I think this is an example of something closer to exploitative (or if not exploitative, then at least crass), because it's not sending the message of "anyone can become fit, healthy, and inspiring" it's just "ladies, you are not h0tt enough, work harder and get more h0ttness so you can get ogled."

[smazzon1]

Not at all. He (and his parents) knew beforehand what the content of the ad was and what was expected of him. And since it's a national Nike ad he probably made some really good money.

I don't understand why it's a controversy. If anything, making a fuss about it is enabling the idea that overweight children/adults can't/shouldn't work out.

[realbrickwall]

This was a great idea of an ad that was put together so horribly I almost think that someone on the team was intentionally sabotaging it.

The message that greatness is something that you work for is good. Showing somebody not inherently fit working for fitness is good. The execution of both was done very poorly. Like, I've seen better from middle schoolers poorly.