Turning Aubameyang into a new superhero

Nike Football wanted to do something special for the launch of the latest HyperVenom 3 boot. Worn by the deadliest strikers across Europe, including the flamboyant Borrusia Dortmund star player Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

We created an Instagram Story on Aubameyang’s own channel in which the striker appears to be bitten by the Hypervenom III’s and then discovers superhuman striking powers.

Client wrap-up film

The Instagram Story obeys all the rules and uses the native functionality of the platform – using a single shot per chapter, overlaying emojis and type, etc. – so it felt 100% authentic, even while it tells a fantastical superhero origin story.

Football pundits and blogs lit up. Debate about the authenticity raged, with people saying things like “It’s an Instagram Story, dude. How could it be fake? 

He is joined in the training session to try on his new boots by two Nike sponsored teammates Christian Pulisic and Ousmane Dembele – we use their Instagram accounts to share their point of view on the extraordinary training session – where the boots give Auba very special powers.

Finally we close out the story with a glipse of his superhero mask design that he eventually shares with the world a week later when he celebrates scoring against his teams biggest rivals in a Bundesliga game.

"This has set the new benchmark with how we use Instagram. This is the next level."
– Jesse Stollak, Global VP Nike Football.

The Man in the Mask
– Daily Mirror

R/GA wrap up film

Story first seen on Aubameyang's own Instagram account (archived on Nike Football YouTube)

© 2020 Owen Roberts. All rights reserved.