As I sat in a bar lastnight, surrounded by my friends and coworkers, two thoughts raced through my mind: 1. Bourbon may very well be the nectar of the Gods, and 2. The only kind of diving I could ever compete in on an Olympic level is that of the muff variety. Then this commercial came on the TV and, while there was no audio, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of a cameraman, seated in the bed of a pickup truck and dangling some shepherd’s pie from the end of a stick.
The 60-second spot (part of Nike’s “Find Your Greatness” campaign which has been airing during the Olympics and shows normal folks like you and me from all the Londons of the world) features 200 lb., 12-year old Nathan Sorrell from London, Ohio, struggling to make his way down a vacant, country road. While many people feel as though the ad is a mockery, it’s not until you hear the copy (narrated by Bane himself; The Dark Knight Rises’ Tom Hardy) when the campaign’s message becomes clear and profound. And it seems to have inspired quite a few people. As one YouTube commenter said:
To be honest, the first time I saw this I almost started crying. This commercial was just what I needed to just do it, get off my butt and start getting active.
Good for you, iHeartReading55. Now, put down that copy of Fifty Shades of Grey, have a salad and hit the gym.
