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Nike 50 Air-PR Frame

Nike 50th Anniversary Never Done Imagining

Insight

From a controversial starting point, for an ongoing catalyst for culture.

Nike Air, as seen (and sometimes not seen) in many of Nike’s most popular shoes, is one of the most recognised and influential innovations in performance and lifestyle footwear.

Today, almost 45 years after its first appearance in the Nike Tailwind, Nike Air continues to defy not only what a shoe looks like but what a shoe can be. But there was a time when its future and success were questioned.

Idea

The Other Side of Air: A social film.

It’s important to remember where things started, to appreciate how far they’ve come.

To bring to life the inspiration, imagination, doubts, trials, errors and playfulness that epitomised the history of Nike Air, an installation of layers of posters highlights moments in the Nike Air journey.

Like an archaeologist’s uncovering of a prized fossil, the time-lapse film shows the posters being torn away one by one by Nike Archives personnel (outfitted in bespoke DNA workwear) to reveal every twist, turn and triumph of Nike Air. The final layer teases Nike By You, inviting viewers to take ownership in the next step of the Nike Air journey.

A collage of posters featuring bold quotes, including: “Hell, we didn’t know what we were doing.” by Bill Peterson, and “That’ll never work. The bags will blow up.” overlaid on abstract backgrounds and partial text.
A row of five sneaker-themed art posters on a black background, each labeled: AirMax 1, AirMax 1, AirMax 95, AirMax Family, and Vapormax; the designs are colorful and varied, with bold graphics and shoe imagery.
A concrete slab stands in the center of a large, empty hall, displaying a colorful poster with Nike shoes and the text 1978 Mesh Tailwind Prototype. Torn posters and debris are scattered on the floor around it.
Three posters on a concrete wall display Nike sneakers, bold text, and logos, highlighting the 1978 Mesh Tailwind Prototype, Even more air, and a “50” with a swoosh, celebrating Nike’s sneaker innovation.
A person with braided hair wearing a white jacket with a unique logo stands indoors, facing a large canvas with abstract black, white, and yellow patterns. Another person in a similar jacket is partially visible.

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