Nike gas kicked off a new football campaign, “FATE,” which captures the true essence of the game by following the journeys of two top athletes from their first steps to playing in the NFL.
The “FATE” TV commercial features San Diego Chargers All-Pro running back LaDainian Tomlinson and Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Troy Polamalu. A 30- and 60-second version of the ad traces Tomlinson and Polamalu’s lives from young toddlers through middle and high school and college to their careers as professional football athletes. All of these scenes were researched and are authentic to the lives and milestones of Tomlinson and Polamalu. At the end of the ad, the athletes compete in a NFL game. Their all-out play is captured in a raw but beautiful fashion in a final climatic moment.
The campaign, produced in cooperation with Wieden+Kennedy Portland, began airing Saturday during the nationally televised college football games as well as during Sunday’s NFL games. It will run through several weeks on major networks and cable channels including ESPN, ABC, Fox, CBS, BET and MTV. The campaign will also be featured on www.nikefootball.com.
