DUBAI: Nike has launched in the Middle East its “Sport is Never Done” campaign, which highlights the lifelong benefits of physical play for kids.
As part of the campaign, the brand recently took over Riyadh Boulevard to screen a 90-second promotional film “Rise of the Kids,” which challenges parental misconceptions about children becoming actively engaged in sports.
“Saudi Arabia is a key market for us in this region, and we hope to ignite among its valued community a new perception of playful movements,” Mohammed Bodiat, senior vice president of brands and sports at GMG, Nike’s official distributor in the Middle East, told Arab News.
The promotional film, produced for the region by creative agency Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam, features children taking part in a variety of sports and repeating some of the comments their parents or other adults might make about them taking part in such activities, before displaying their amazing abilities.
For example, a girl playing soccer says, “I’m just wasting my time,” before showing off her incredible skills on the pitch. A boy playing golf says, “This better not affect my grades,” before making a complex series of mental calculations required to make the perfect shot.
Since its launch on YouTube a month ago, the film has been viewed more than 21 million times, setting a record for the brand.
The film “puts the kids of the Middle East at the forefront” and its success “underscores the region’s receptiveness to our message,” said Bodiat.
In addition to the film, the holistic campaign includes activities across the region, including workshops in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh where families can get active together and parents can learn to better understand their own role in children’s relationships with sports.
Nike has also created an immersive retail experience in its Dubai Mall store to help kids discover what kind of sports they might like to try.
The brand also published a book on Oct. 25 titled “5 Minutes More,” which is designed to help parents and kids discover the benefits of sports. The free book is available in English and Arabic as a hardback in print and an e-book on www.nikeneverdone.com.
