Nike's Chase The Day campaign breaks the rules

Image supplied. Nike’s Chase The Day is bursting with youthful energy

A fast edit and short run time reinforce this feeling, leaving the commercial packed with energy the viewer is challenged to keep up with.

Set to an upbeat track, the campaign takes viewers on a fast-paced journey around a colourful set, broken up by inventive transitions that see basketballs flying at the screen and worlds created inside t-shirts. As the camera whips, zooms, and whirls round, we meet smiling groups of a vibrant cast, all dressed in Nike tees.

Bursting with youthful energy, the campaign was shot by L’ÉLOI directors and photographers LM Chabot, Jolianne L'Allier Matteau and Alexandre Chabot, the agency AKQA tasked LM Chabot with capturing a typical day around an ice cream truck that's a hub for a group of friends, placing community and sport at the heart of the spot.

LM Chabot - Nike 15sec from L'ÉLOI on Vimeo.

Rather than creating a smooth, seamless universe, the directors were also asked to transform the studio into an integral part of the campaign.

The pair used energetic cinematography to do just that, immersing the audience in the set as they whizz left and right to meet the varied characters dotted around it.

Technical challenge

One particular technical challenge was posed by the shot where a basketball appears to hit the camera.

To film this - without breaking any equipment in the process - LM Chabot first tried using plexiglass held by two technicians in front of the lens.

Finding that the material was too reflective under studio lights, they found success instead by having the technicians simply place their hands all around the lens, close enough to protect it but far enough not to obstruct the frame.

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A beautiful playground

“With this campaign, we wanted to defy gravity through movement and scenography to create a hub where anything is possible, taking advantage of motion since we come from the world of still photography.

“We had so many more parameters to help us translate a story, with emotion being felt through pace, music, acting, and camerawork. It's a beautiful playground,” says LM Chabot.

The campaign will run online and across socials.