Directed by Rich Hall via Riff Raff Films for Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, this Nike film–titled “The Five Stages of Haaland”–reimagines a one-on-one battle through the goalkeeper’s perspective, dramatizing his psychological descent through the five stages of grief with Erling Haaland, the Norwegian soccer superstar, charging toward him.
Haaland scoring a goal is inevitable and the goalie knows it, experiencing the five stages-Denial, Anger, Negotiation, Despair and finally Acceptance. The hyper-stylized processing of the five stages with Haaland’s onslaught unfolding before our eyes blends cinematic intensity and humor, delivering a fresh exhilarating, tongue-in-cheek take on sports advertising.
Credits
Client Nike Agency Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam Susan Hoffman, chief creative officer; Nick Docherty, chief strategy officer; Evgeny Primachenko, Emma Barnet, creative directors; Cheryl Warbook, head of production. Production Riff Raff Films Rich Hall, director; Fred Bonham Carter, producer; Natalie Arnett, exec producer; Niklas Johansson, DP; Andreas Langmark, production manager; Astrid Astrup, production designer. Editorial Stitch editing Ben Cornfield, editor. Postproduction Black Kite Studios Richard Fearon, colorist; James Belch, Jonathan Box, VFX supervisors; Tito Fernandes, shoot supervisor; Hazel Gibson, exec producer; Chloe Ensor, sr. producer. Sound Design & Mix RajSound Raj Sengal, sound designer/mixer. Music Artist/Title Wardruna/”Hagall”; Indie Recordings AS, music label.
Rappers Khuli Chana, Blxckie and 25K team up with Patriot Films director Sam Coleman, who is repped by Ridley Scott Associates (RSA) stateside, to celebrate the power of inspiration for KFC Streetwise and Ogilvy Johannesburg.
Every groundbreaking artist has a story, a moment of inspiration that drives their next wave of creativity. But this doesn’t happen in isolation--original needs to feed original. “There’s a wealth of creative energy bubbling up in the youth of South Africa,” said Coleman. “Everyone is out to try and make a dent in the creative landscape. Inspiration is everywhere you look and all a creative person needs is that spark to go to the next level.”
This 90-second spot features a stellar cast of South African artists riffing off each other, and while KFC Streetwise has long been a mainstay of the country’s youth culture, an authentic approach was critical. Ogilvy turned to Coleman whose experience includes fashion and street culture.
Notable South African creators who appear in the commercial film include Kind Kid toymaker Sanele Qwabe, “Nail Pimp” Nailed Ntswembu, the Island Gals skaters, fashion designer Ruberto Scholtz, visual director Rowan Sakarombe, custom car pimper Ofentse Mphatsoe and metal band Botswana Metalheads. The transitions from one innovator to another were important considerations for Coleman. He explained, “You’re really talking about a ripple effect and how one idea sparks another, so I wanted to create seamless uninterrupted progressions that would evoke that feeling of inspiration and flow.”
KFC’s chief marketing officer Grant Macpherson said, “From a brand perspective, I want to work with directors who have a strong, passionate point of view – someone who brings bold... Read More
