![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ef23e2d8d97dc64bcb575de/d037625b-30ac-415e-948c-be0b93edfe0d/Nike+Be+True-Slice+Hero.png)
NIKE BE TRUE
What we dID
Every June, the country is painted in vibrant hues of the rainbow, and some of our busiest streets are paraded with crowds of members from the LBGTQIA2S+ community. But on July 1st, the rainbow flags come down and we return to the sad reality of hiding, hurting, harming, shaming, and hushing them. Nike BETRUE wanted a campaign that showed Pride isn’t just reserved for June because LBGTQIA2S+ are identities that live all year round.
So, we created one to empower athletes of all gender presentations and sexualities to use their platform to support all identities in sport and continue taking action that transforms the world.
Creative Concepting
Video & Photo Production
Social Content
Paid Media
App Threads
Web
Email
OOH
CREATIVE CONCEPTING
Sport historically has been a perpetrator of heteronormative behavior, toxic masculinity, and the silencing of LGBTQIA2S+ voices. Despite all this, LGBTQIA2S+ athletes have continued to use their voices to make change in sport and beyond.
These athletes uplift, empower, and spend time off the field working to build a safer space on the field.
JANAYA FUTURE KHAN
Janaya Future Khan is a social activist, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Toronto, and an international ambassador for the Black Lives Matter Network. Along with balancing organizing, lecturing, and writing, this openly queer and gender-nonconforming powerhouse is known to throw down in the boxing ring as well.
raven saunders
Raven “Hulk” Saunders is an Olympic silver medalist in shot put who’s joined the new league of athletes advocating for self-care, after battling with depression herself. Exhibiting strength outside the ring as well, she uses her platform to raise awareness about mental health, especially for those in the Black and LGBTQIA+ communities.
sawyer sturgis
Sawyer Sturgis is a bodybuilder, athlete, Team Leader, and future personal trainer. As a proud trans man, he’s been outspoken about combating body dysmorphia, and advocates for more
sean snyder & adrian stevens
Sean Snyder and Adrian Stevens are a Native American Two-Spirit couple that handcrafts their own regalia to compete and perform at powwows nationwide. Known as the "Sweetheart Dancers," Sean and Adrian have been instrumental in shifting the traditional dance scene towards becoming more queer positive and inclusive.
In the summer of 2021, more “out” LBGTQIA2S+ athletes participated in the Olympic Games than all previous summer games combined. And while they represented their country with pride, they also used the stage as a platform for change.
Wearing their country’s flag has become an expression of national identity, unity, and pride; a representation of the country’s values and the ideals for which it stands. Similarly, the pride flag has become a global symbol/statement of identity, visibility, authenticity, truth, unity, and hope.
photo & video production
We incorporated each athlete’s respective gender or sexuality flag into their styling or used them as props for our photoshoot to display how they’re “Proudly in Motion.”
Shooting in Joshua Tree, we wanted to capture the bright colors against the desert floor and sky. We used a combination of sharp documentary style photography/videography and motion shots that blurred the athlete’s movement. For product detail images, the brand presence was not only in products, but in personal / local accessories.
OOH
For out of home advertising, we took the less copy-heavy route with the exception of screens that had short, yet impactful quotes from each athlete. The focus was eye-catching photography and vivid graphic overlays for the billboards in NY and LA.
social content
We created paid and organic content that featured segments of athlete interviews and some of their most powerful quotes. Our graphic overlays included rainbow borders and text. We used vivid imagery and short-form copy to drive traffic to Nike’s purpose site, as well as the BETRUE page to read more on the protagonists and/or purchase from the collection. These posts were shared between Nike and FootLocker social channels.
![IG_Janaya's-04.png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ef23e2d8d97dc64bcb575de/adfd6bbd-8805-4b24-a7ab-da11c6184873/IG_Janaya%27s-04.png)
![IG_Janaya's-01.png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ef23e2d8d97dc64bcb575de/5a09a1b4-cbe2-4ec0-881a-e39c4d9cc12a/IG_Janaya%27s-01.png)
![IG_Janaya's-11.png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ef23e2d8d97dc64bcb575de/4af0ffbf-bc78-4092-a831-0e34187b5d7f/IG_Janaya%27s-11.png)
![IG_Sawyer's-01.png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ef23e2d8d97dc64bcb575de/c871dd86-9b60-466a-947b-7980445b9ae3/IG_Sawyer%27s-01.png)
![IG_Sawyer's-11.png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ef23e2d8d97dc64bcb575de/c23cf5c1-c05b-40e9-b095-f9b6bd57552f/IG_Sawyer%27s-11.png)
![IG_Sawyer's-03.png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ef23e2d8d97dc64bcb575de/1656bf43-5c9b-4dcc-83ae-83c1101572be/IG_Sawyer%27s-03.png)
![IG_Raven's_-02.png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ef23e2d8d97dc64bcb575de/52f4edf3-ee99-41c9-bdb6-60959ee326ff/IG_Raven%27s_-02.png)
![IG_Raven's_-04.png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ef23e2d8d97dc64bcb575de/9de3ddb7-fa47-487b-acb3-9707bbe86ee4/IG_Raven%27s_-04.png)
![IG_Raven's_-01.png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ef23e2d8d97dc64bcb575de/203eabab-a603-492c-bf55-7fe3f338d8e5/IG_Raven%27s_-01.png)
![IG_Sweetheart Dancers-05.png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ef23e2d8d97dc64bcb575de/fdede0b3-a5e8-471c-b301-748486770a16/IG_Sweetheart+Dancers-05.png)
![IG_Sweetheart Dancers-01.png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ef23e2d8d97dc64bcb575de/40889ac9-ea28-49cf-a794-b7c92a63f7a6/IG_Sweetheart+Dancers-01.png)
![IG_Sweetheart Dancers-02.png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ef23e2d8d97dc64bcb575de/e51bb318-e9eb-490a-ae1d-15ba0b4c333c/IG_Sweetheart+Dancers-02.png)
app threads
For the Nike App, we focused on highlighting the protagonist stories and the ways they show their Pride all year long. Each section included their title, bio, and stand-out quotes, along with images that best captured their personalities and athletic skills.
web + email
This photography was also featured across Nike’s website. We selected copy to summarize the overall concept and how each athlete is connected. The imagery featured was used primarily for a banner and collection tout.
The email was more product-driven than story-driven, encouraging the consumer to wear their colors with Pride by shopping the BETRUE collection.
![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ef23e2d8d97dc64bcb575de/53d606a0-8e18-47e8-8ae2-f1760b1010c9/Nike+Be+True-Slice+17.png)