nike
creative • design • production
air max 95 launch
an iconic launch
for an iconic brand
Nike’s iconic Air Max 95 changed the sneaker game almost 3 decades ago, but icons never rest on their laurels. As other brands continue to innovate, Nike needed to find new ways to stay relevant and cement its position in Canadian culture. As a young city still crafting its identity, Nike saw an opportunity to drive brand equity in Toronto with the release of a limited edition Air Max 95 inspired by the city’s multiculturalism and diversity. Our challenge was to help Nike launch the first Toronto Air Max 95 by creating a design ecosystem that was dynamic, unignorable, and a perfect intersection of Toronto and Nike.
Starting with the design of a custom box, we needed to tell Toronto’s story, represent and reflect its vast communities, and create hype and excitement to empower Torontonians to wear their city pride.
We partnered with Toronto-born artist Moya Garrison-Msingwana to create a cast of diverse characters and turn the box’s four sides into an unignorable piece of storytelling. Using Moya’s artistic approach as a springboard, we catapulted the Air Max 95 into the hearts of Torontonians with a mini campaign that generated buzz and drove impressive sales.
ode to TO
Much like the actual shoe containing countless Toronto easter eggs, our box design held an abundance of insider nods to the city. We turned something ordinary into a piece of storytelling magic by illustrating a diverse cast of characters to represent our city’s different walks of life. Plus, to honour Toronto’s contrasting seasons, all exterior characters were designed with summer fits while the ones inside wore winter gear.
show off
To bring their iconic character – the Nike Goddess – to Toronto, we leveraged the city’s most sought after digital billboard in Dundas square to reveal a 30 second 3D animation showcasing the new kicks. On social, we highlighted the city’s 6 burroughs through 3D still and animated carousels, superimposing the shoe into each location while bringing Moya’s characters to life.