We already knew that Nike Women is a brand for tough, ambitious sportswomen. But if the Nike role models on this website would have been too serious and aspirational, the target group might find it difficult to connect with them. At least, that’s probably what Nike and Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam were thinking when bringing Margherita, Tania and Lianne – three hard bodies practicing fencing, hip hop and football (or ‘soccer’ in the U.S.) – to life. The girls tell us what they experience when they’re training. And to make them more approachable W+K added some friendly animations, inspired by their thoughts. What’s more, you can directly ask them questions, which they can answer through a webcam – there you go; your own personal coach! You can also watch training instructions and upload your profile on a community page. This inspiring platform leaves us with one question: when will Nike opens its first online gym?

Photo: Maurice Mikkers
The biggest winner last night at the ADCN (Dutch Art Director’s Club) awards was Lemz. All the ‘bulbs’ – of which one was a Grand Prix (the very best integrated work) – went to their Fireworks campaign. Our very favourite campaign of the year Domino’s Pizza Pepperoni by Indie won one Golden and two Silver bulbs (TV, internet and activation) – in our opinion it was at least as good as Lemz’ work. Wieden also won one Gold and two Silver for Heineken’s ‘The making of The Date’ (internet, TV, and activation). Selmore won Gold for Bavaria and Hugh Heffner – so we can be sure that Charlie Sheen will also win Gold next year. We were a bit surprised that N=5 won Gold for Telfort – not really our taste. Y&R won one Gold and two Silver for LG’s ‘smart thief‘ (internet, TV, and viral). A bit strange that alle these films are winning different prizes for the different channels through which they are broadcasted – does the channel matter? Another one of our favourites was Hema’s with a push-up bra in print, promoted by a male model, going viral big time – by Doom & Dickson. It won Gold and Silver. Note: Hema is one of the most down to earth department stores in the Netherlands. TBWA won Gold with its print campaign for DIY chain Gamma; free Lego – “Just like dad.” In Interactive Tribal DDB won Gold and Silver for ‘Obsessed with Sound’ for Philips. One of the most impactful commercials of the year by Publicis for ALS won Silver – “I have died by now.” Special bulbs went to Mischa Rozema (for directing OFFF), Christian Borstlap (art direction and illustration, for LV and Mr Porter), and Simon Warner (photgraphy, for Octopus).

Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam has promoted Clay Mills to Managing Director. He follows up Lee Newman, who was appointed as MD in 2008. Newman will become president at O&M Chicago. Mills was hired by Wieden in 2010 as Group AD on Heineken. Since his hiring Heineken became one of Wieden’s more profitable and successful accounts, making the agency even lead this year’s Gunn report. Prior to W+K Amsterdam, Mills worked at JWT New York, and BBH in New York and London. ECD’s Mark Bernath and Eric Quennoy about Mills’ appointment: “Spending the last two years making the Heineken work with Clay has been one of the more enjoyable experiences of our careers. You have to work with people who make work feel more like having fun. That’s when the best stuff happens. Of course, you can’t have fun without being dead serious and smart about what you’re doing. A balance that Clay gets as good as anyone.”

Earlier this week we wrote about EA’s Grand Slam Tennis 2, today we’re writing about yet another EA game, called FIFA Street. Just like GST2 this one also shows some in-game footage – probably a client mandatory – but what is different about it, is that it’s all about real life swagger. A dude with a bowler hat, a DJ, a monkey, a girl with white sneakers and golden legging, and some old school TV’s being smashed by the ball. And some dinstinguished copy: “Welcome to the home of hustle…to the school of swagger. Abracadabra. This is the birthplace of every move you’ve ever seen.” It feels a bit wannabe cool, though we instantly admit that we might just be getting a little too old for this stuff – we’re more the FIFA ‘normal’ generation. In any case, if you want to ‘Free Your Game’ FIFA Street is clearly the way forward. Created by Wieden+Kennedy, directed by Paulo Gandra and Steve Hudson (Hungry Man).

We received an e-mail from Audentiy’s Niels den Otter about a new Nike film – featuring Moussa Coly, who lives and plays in Pigalle for Goutte D’or – for which he did the music and sound design. Den Otter: “My inspiration for designing the sound in this film comes from how I see Paris; a city full of contrasts: stylized shops and fashion mecca, while at the same time a melting pot of different races, tough neighbourhoods, and street culture. That’s why I chose for harsh, realistic sounds in a stylized way. I listened to ‘The Weeknd‘ and used a deep and ominous bass with a very slow pace, steadily becoming somewhat softer with the help of the floating and vibrant Prophet synthesizer. I made it all build up to the climax of the question: “For whom do you play?” and then made it dissolve in the echo and its delay“. The film searches for a position that celebrates both the super star as well as the man in the street – something we saw before in the Copa Barrio commercials made for Nike by W+K. It was created by Stephane Ashpool and produced by Marc Madeleyn at Cake Film, directed by the young and upcoming director Paul Geusebroek – known for directing Dutch music videos for bands like The jeugd van tegenwoordig – and shot by Menno Mans.