Nike Empower Creative Guidelines 2021
Nike's Empower / Play New brand guidelines equip creative teams, agency partners, and city studios to reach Gen Z 'Future Chasers.' The 270-slide playbook covers creative direction and tone ('Ambitious.
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Vibrant. Confident'), type systems (Migra, Druk, Helvetica), an eight-color Empower palette with hex codes, motion and OOH/retail treatments, and an Empowered Creative Network (ECN) playbook for creator partnerships and production workflows.
- Slide 1: Nike: Empower Creative Guidelines 2021
- Slide 2: Welcome to the 2021 Empower Creative Guidelines
- Slide 3: Contents: sections and page index
- Slide 4: Section title introducing the Strategic Overview chapter, which covers Brand
- Slide 5: Section opener signaling the start of the Brand Strategy chapter
- Slide 6: The world is at an inflection point
- Slide 7: Gen Z: demographics and behavioral insights
- Slide 8: Future Chasers: audience segment and muse
- Slide 9: Problem: Gen Z wants change but not through sport
- Slide 10: Opportunity: Empower youth to use sport as a vehicle for change
- Slide 11: Belief: Sport* doesn't change the world. It changes you
- Slide 12: Our approach: we will lend our power and platform
- Slide 13: Our 2021 shift: what's the same, what's new
- Slide 14: Make youth feel: With sport* in their life, life can't stop them
- Slide 15: Member landscape: who we want, who we have, who
- Slide 16: Introductory page signaling the deck's narrative shift for 2021
- Slide 17: A rapid-fire manifesto that declares cultural change:new heroes, new routines
- Slide 18: Nike's 2021 tagline 'Play New' encapsulates the call to action
- Slide 19: "Play New" is more than just a tagline
- Slide 20: Messaging: headline and tagline guidance
- Slide 21: Creative Strategy: creative approach and direction
- Slide 22: Play New OOH execution in Times Square
- Slide 23: New / GENERATION lockup
- Slide 24: In-store activation with tiled floor graphics
- Slide 25: Rule Breakers grid featuring Serena Williams
- Slide 26: Sport heritage meets illustrated montage
- Slide 27: Mosaic billboard for large-format display
- Slide 28: Portraits and illustrations in campaign panels
- Slide 29: New: 'FREAKS.' and 'ODDBALLS.' poster pair
- Slide 30: Opens the 'Creative Approach' section to define tone, talent selection
- Slide 31: Embed empowerment into the DNA of everything we do
- Slide 32: Use our reach to connect athletes and empower unique voices
- Slide 33: What we make: platform amplification, individual empowerment, future sport
- Slide 34: How we make: authentic storytellers, true co‑creation, celebrate creators
- Slide 35: The Empowered Creative Network (ECN)
- Slide 36: Shift brand distinction from monoculture to distinction by diversity
- Slide 37: Section header introducing the creative direction principles that follow across
- Slide 38: Brand sentiment: Expression Empowered
- Slide 39: Expression Empowered is: Sport Out Loud / Expression Out Loud
- Slide 40: Art direction: Empowered Out Loud
- Slide 41: Creative should feel: Galvanizing · Provocative · Unifying
- Slide 42: Creative should look: Expressive · Bold · Vibrant
- Slide 43: Design Guidelines: contents
- Slide 44: Play New will mean different things for different people
- Slide 45: Introduces the Lockups section that defines headline, motion, and CTA
- Slide 46: Specifies usage rules including a 75% 'NEW __' / 25%
- Slide 47: Headline Lockup A (for color backgrounds)
- Slide 48: Headline Lockup B (for art backgrounds)
- Slide 49: Defines the Play New CTA lock-up with positive and negative
- Slide 50: Section header introducing motion lockup treatments and rules for animated
- Slide 51: Motion lockup examples demonstrating animated headline and 'Play New' treatments
- Slide 52: Rotating headline + Play New
- Slide 53: Single headline + Play New
- Slide 54: Endcard lockup that pairs the 'Play New' wordmark
- Slide 55: Application of the 'New' headline and condensed modifier copy
- Slide 56: : type rules and specimens for Play New
- Slide 57: Headline, modifier, and signifier typefaces
- Slide 58: Type system guidance that defines headline, signifier, and modifier placement
- Slide 59: Type and image system for art backgrounds
- Slide 60: Guidance for creator accreditation: add artist credit at the same
- Slide 61: Color: design guidelines
- Slide 62: Color ensures campaign distinction and dimensionality
- Slide 63: Empower base color palette
- Slide 64: Presents twelve approved pairing variations to be used for campaign
- Slide 65: Guides collaborators to use the Empower palette for roughly 75%
- Slide 66: Lists prohibited practices: do not add custom colors to campaign
- Slide 67: Layouts: design guidelines
- Slide 68: Grid of campaign posters and portraits demonstrating lockups, bold color
- Slide 69: Example of the headline treatment pairing an oversized 'New' wordmark
- Slide 70: Headline system A: aspect ratio examples
- Slide 71: Headline system A guidelines
- Slide 72: Signifier anchoring for extra space
- Slide 73: Headline system B: 'New Oddballs' masthead
- Slide 74: Headline system B responsive sizing examples
- Slide 75: Headline system B guidelines
- Slide 76: CTA system on color
- Slide 77: CTA system on image
- Slide 78: CTA system guides and rules
- Slide 79: Section opener introducing the 'system Applications' chapter of the creative
- Slide 80: Hero grid application: variable modifier
- Slide 81: Hero grid application: 1-row alternating headlines
- Slide 82: Hero grid: 1-row guide overlays
- Slide 83: Hero grid application: 2-row checkerboard
- Slide 84: Hero grid: 2-row guide overlays
- Slide 85: Hero grid: alternate two-row guides
- Slide 86: Two-up system pairing: pair Headline A with imagery
- Slide 87: Single-system usage: prefer Headline system B
- Slide 88: Section header introducing how creative assets translate across languages
- Slide 89: Design for language localization and system adjustment
- Slide 90: Localized creative examples: French executions
- Slide 91: Nike's Language Services require the phrase "Play New" to remain
- Slide 92: Many languages produce multiple conjugations of "New," so mastheads must
- Slide 93: Translations: French examples
- Slide 94: Translations: French guides (black mastheads)
- Slide 95: Translations: French system variants
- Slide 96: French guides: cropped ascenders allowed
- Slide 97: Translations: French imagery examples
- Slide 98: Translations: Spanish examples
- Slide 99: Translations: Spanish guides (black mastheads)
- Slide 100: Translations: Spanish system variants
- Slide 101: Translations: Spanish guides
- Slide 102: Translations: Spanish posters
- Slide 103: Section header introducing the deck's photography and art direction principles
- Slide 104: Photography defined by a tapestry of creators
- Slide 105: From monoculture to brand distinction by diversity
- Slide 106: Humanize the Heroes / Hero the Humans
- Slide 107: Vibe: Visceral. Real. Unapologetic
- Slide 108: Advocates for close, intimate portraiture that captures athletes' raw emotional
- Slide 109: Celebrate the full range of emotions that athletes experience
- Slide 110: Showcase the magic behind the scenes
- Slide 111: Celebrate authenticity & the unexpected through an intimate lens
- Slide 112: Be as real as our athletes
- Slide 113: Introduces motion capture best practices focused on translating creative direction
- Slide 114: Motion capture should celebrate the spirit and energy of the story
- Slide 115: Three priorities:'Expression Out Loud' (embrace varied mediums and intentional rawness)
- Slide 116: Celebrate the diversity across stories through capture and edit
- Slide 117: Section header introducing illustration as a core discipline for expressing
- Slide 118: To build a visual identity based on diversity, we will
- Slide 119: Free the work. Celebrate varying styles
- Slide 120: Diversity of creators is as important as diversity of work
- Slide 121: Keep cultural connections to street & youth culture
- Slide 122: Illustration dos: future-facing, sport-connected, textured work
- Slide 123: Choose artists with street cred and Gen Z connection
- Slide 124: Illustration don'ts: avoid static, generic, metaphor-heavy art
- Slide 125: Multi-disciplinary: cross-discipline creative approaches
- Slide 126: Embrace creatives who push multi-disciplinary approaches
- Slide 127: Use your imagination across formats
- Slide 128: Mix realities and methods of make
- Slide 129: Language: how to write, tone of voice, examples
- Slide 130: Future Chasers: words matter; listen and share the mic
- Slide 131: How to write "NEW ____"
- Slide 132: Campaign examples of 'New' headlines
- Slide 133: Manifesto: the breadth of 'New' statements
- Slide 134: 'New' guidelines for Gen Z voice
- Slide 135: Pick the right words for the right story
- Slide 136: What not to do with 'New' headlines
- Slide 137: Empower: tone of voice
- Slide 138: Our tone is: Ambitious. Vibrant. Confident
- Slide 139: Tone guidelines: four rules
- Slide 140: How to write supporting copy for Empower: Do / Don't
- Slide 141: Concrete writing rules: use first-person Gen Z voice for headlines
- Slide 142: Four checkpoints for Empower stories: hand the mic to Gen
- Slide 143: Section header introducing concrete examples that translate the Empower language
- Slide 144: From.com Feature to 'New Day'
- Slide 145: From Nike App to 'New Rules'
- Slide 146: From Instagram Moment to First‑Person Voice
- Slide 147: Empowered Creative Network: Overview
- Slide 148: ECN Playbook: Shared Values and Empowerment
- Slide 149: Why Do We Need It?
- Slide 150: Summarizes the formula: an empowered story about Future Chasers, authentic
- Slide 151: A framework and resource for how we create
- Slide 152: Defines three guiding principles:hero authentic storytellers; embrace true co-creation; celebrate
- Slide 153: Four approaches to empowered storytelling
- Slide 154: Examples of empowered storytelling
- Slide 155: Where the playbook and database live
- Slide 156: Application: digital, OOH, retail
- Slide 157: Creative direction should serve athlete experience
- Slide 158: Section header that signals the following pages focus on digital
- Slide 159: Digital framing formats: horizontal, grid, contact sheet
- Slide 160: Explains that single-image framings work best when featuring a single
- Slide 161: Horizontal hero system for desktop and mobile
- Slide 162: Single-image athlete feature with editorial lede
- Slide 163: Single-image artist portrait with editorial context
- Slide 164: Grid system: when to use multi-image framings
- Slide 165: Grid 1 Hero: three-panel hero framing
- Slide 166: Grid 2 Hero: mosaic-style hero assembly
- Slide 167: Grid carousel and motion: section opener
- Slide 168: Vertical grid carousel: motion behavior
- Slide 169: Vertical carousel: preserving focal crops
- Slide 170: Horizontal grid carousel: motion and cropping
- Slide 171: Recommends layered contact sheets for lookbooks, events, or large asset
- Slide 172: Contact: 1 image / Horizontal / 1/3 filled
- Slide 173: Contact: 1 image / Vertical / 1/3 filled
- Slide 174: Contact: 1 image / Horizontal / Filled
- Slide 175: Pay Us What We’re Worth: Team USA hero
- Slide 176: Contact: Horizontal strip
- Slide 177: Introduces thumbnail design principles that guide when to use single
- Slide 178: Shows a Journal homepage system ('New Voices') combining a bold
- Slide 179: Journal Thumbnails: grid
- Slide 180: Thumbnails: mix and match
- Slide 181: Nike's Article Page section introduces the editorial article template
- Slide 182: Editorial Collage: Desktop
- Slide 183: Editorial Collage: Mobile
- Slide 184: Editorial Collage: Desktop (sports)
- Slide 185: Editorial Collage: Mobile (sports)
- Slide 186: Short Format: Desktop
- Slide 187: Short Format: Mobile
- Slide 188: Anatomy of the Page: Desktop Callouts
- Slide 189: Anatomy of the Page: Collage Guidance
- Slide 190: Anatomy of the Page: Illustration Guidelines
- Slide 191: Introduces out-of-home (OOH) as a core application area
- Slide 192: Times Square OOH execution
- Slide 193: Times Square billboard wrap
- Slide 194: Dual-screen Times Square framing
- Slide 195: New York street-level billboards
- Slide 196: Single billboard: portrait execution
- Slide 197: Single billboard: split framing
- Slide 198: Wall-scale placement using full-body photography and oversized type ('New Rule
- Slide 199: Paris subway OOH campaign
- Slide 200: Continuous poster wrap across a platform that alternates headlines
- Slide 201: OOH posterwall: Play New poster collage
- Slide 202: OOH posterwall: creative variants and art pieces
- Slide 203: OOH WNBA posterwall: athletes and activism
- Slide 204: OOH: London Piccadilly Circus billboard mockup
- Slide 205: Retail section header: Retail
- Slide 206: Retail single-window display example
- Slide 207: Retail double-window display mockup
- Slide 208: Retail triple-window installation mockup
- Slide 209: Retail atrium: floor and vertical installation
- Slide 210: Play New: creative direction, principles, and filters
- Slide 211: Contacts: key team and shared Box links
- Slide 212: Single large Swoosh presentation mark used as a visual pause
- Slide 213: Addendum: contents overview
- Slide 214: Empowered Creative Network: overview
- Slide 215: What's inside: section pages
- Slide 216: Quote about using platforms to diversify voices
- Slide 217: Example of the 'New' campaign deployed across Times Square billboards
- Slide 218: sensory retail floor and pillar installation
- Slide 219: The Empowered Creative Network is a new way of working
- Slide 220: Playbook commitment to shared creative values
- Slide 221: Introduces the 'Strategic Approach' section framing how Nike will activate
- Slide 222: Our 2021 shift: inspire to empower
- Slide 223: Brand distinction: from monoculture to diversity
- Slide 224: Art direction: Empowered Out Loud
- Slide 225: If we want to define the future of sport, we
- Slide 226: Reframe storytelling: what we make and how we make
- Slide 227: Obsess the story on both sides of the lens
- Slide 228: Stories in front of and behind the lens
- Slide 229: The Empowered Creative Network
- Slide 230: A framework and a resource to help us create
- Slide 231: Defines the three-part formula that powers the network: Empowered Story
- Slide 232: Introduces the Empowered Creative Network framework that organizes how Nike
- Slide 233: Empowered Creative Network: shared values
- Slide 234: Outlines three organizing principles:how we build the network, how we
- Slide 235: Introduces the section focused on prioritizing authentic storytellers as core
- Slide 236: How we build: Hero Authentic Storytellers
- Slide 237: Opens the co-creation section, signaling a collaborative approach that centers
- Slide 238: Embrace true co-creation: how we work
- Slide 239: Celebrate the story behind the lens
- Slide 240: Recommends crediting and promoting key creative partners across platforms
- Slide 241: Capture & tell the creator's story
- Slide 242: Examples of empowered storytelling
- Slide 243: 4 Approaches to Empowered Storytelling
- Slide 244: Opportunity is the key to empowerment
- Slide 245: Elite athlete + Future chaser creative
- Slide 246: Elite athlete + Established creative + Future chaser creative
- Slide 247: Everyday athlete + Established creative
- Slide 248: Everyday athlete + Future chaser creative
- Slide 249: 4 approaches to empowered storytelling
- Slide 250: Section header introducing tools and reference materials to support empowered
- Slide 251: Together, we will build shared tools for creating empowered storytelling
- Slide 252: Resource: Empowered Creative Network Database
- Slide 253: How to submit to the Empowered Creative Network
- Slide 254: Example Future Chaser Creatives: Artist Reps / Networks
- Slide 255: Example Future Chaser Creatives: Photographers
- Slide 256: Example Future Chaser Creatives: Directors
- Slide 257: Example Future Chaser Creatives: Illustrators
- Slide 258: Full‑page primary mark used as a section divider and identity
- Slide 259: Introduces the digital system guidance section that documents rules
- Slide 260: Single image / Horizontal
- Slide 261: Single image: vertical P1
- Slide 262: Three-image grid where the Play New lockup is horizontally
- Slide 263: Left and right columns use full-height hero images
- Slide 264: Grid carousel: vertical motion
- Slide 265: Grid carousel: horizontal motion
- Slide 266: Contact sheet: 1 image / horizontal / 1/3 filled
- Slide 267: Contact sheet: 1 image / vertical / 1/2 filled
- Slide 268: Contact sheet: 1 image / horizontal / filled
- Slide 269: Contact sheet: strip
- Slide 270: Nike: endframe swoosh
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