Adidas has recruited star athletes Patrick Mahomes, Aliyah Boston, and Anthony Edwards for its latest campaign.
Made in collaboration with advertising agency Opinionated, a trio of short films directed by Derek Cianfrance effort highlights the power of self-belief in overcoming pressure.
Launched as part of the brand's overarching "You Got This" platform, this new initiative is based on research made with sports neuroscientists at neuro11.
According to a press release, Adidas found that elite athletes are 40% better at handling high-pressure situations than their amateur counterparts.
As such, the campaign aims to inspire grassroots athletes to believe in their own capabilities and maintain a positive attitude.
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The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback says that pressure is just a part of the game, and it doesn't need to control you.
"My best advice is simple: it's only a throw, or a catch, or a kick — so trust yourself and enjoy the moment. I'm excited to be part of an adidas campaign that inspires young athletes to keep the game fun and not let pressure take that away," Mahomes shared.
Meanwhile, Adidas SVP of Brand Communications Chris Murphy describes the campaign's goal of reminding athletes at all levels to breathe and have fun, using the love of the game to overcome feelings of doubt.
Two of three campaign films were released last week, with the last one set to follow in the coming days.
These new spots are a welcome addition to Adidas' brand voice, which utilizes an inspiring message that reassures its fans of their abilities.
Notably, it stands directly in contrast to Nike's recent ads, which say that "Winning isn't for everybody."
'Under Pressure'
Set to Queen and David Bowie's iconic single "Under Pressure," the three commercials depict young up-and-coming athletes facing enormous pressure at key moments of their big games.
As the pressure mounts with the sounds of the crowd and their teammates cheering them on, it almost seems too much — until someone comes along to help.
In "Paper Football," a young athlete at a college football game readies himself for a field goal. As his heart rate increases, the crowd suddenly disappears.
Now, he's sitting at a table in an empty field across from Mahomes, who holds up a paper football and gives the young athlete an encouraging smile. "It's only a kick," he says.
The spot ends as the young athlete takes the paper football and lines up the shot, making the kick to win the game.
The second spot follows the same format, with a young basketball player gearing up for a free throw.
As the crowd cheers and her teammates' words begin to echo in her ears, she finds herself in a now-empty stadium face to face with Boston, the 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year.
Boston hands her a crumpled-up paper ball and gives a few words of encouragement: "It's only a shot. Just throw it away."
The spot ends with the student confidently tossing the paper ball into a bin, which turns out to be the game-winning shot.
Last month, Adidas unveiled a campaign for its new Manchester United Kit starring actor Barry Keoghan.
Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang
