Rory McIlroy enjoys the chase in new Nike/W+K work
Leading up to the first professional golf major of the year, The Masters, Nike has launched new work featuring Rory McIlroy that chronicles the never-ending chase for greatness (and wins). "Enjoy the Chase," a 60-second short film debuts today and runs throughout the week on ESPN and NBC The Golf Channel — and the campaign continues with short vignettes across social that includes young Nike golfers Tony Finau, Brooks Koepka, Michelle Wie and Patrick Rodgers. The work was produced in partnership by Portland-based Wieden+Kennedy.
“If you don't love the work you have to put in to become the best, then you may want to consider a different line of work or sport of choice,” said McIlroy. “I think the common denominator among every great athlete, no matter the sport, is they love the chase to improve. They dedicate themselves more and that’s the main reason they’re better.”
From his early days as a precocious pro, McIlroy has embraced a much more focused regimen that includes nutrition, training and working on all aspects of his game. In fact, in an earlier Nike video, McIlroy admitted that he “wasn’t really big into the gym” and “couldn’t stand on one leg for more than 10 seconds” or “hold a plank for more than 30 seconds.”
The film mirrors McIlroy’s clockwork-like commitment — with an alarm clock ringing at 5:30am several times at the beginning of each day’s training quest. A cursory glance at McIlroly’s schedule shows two gym workouts interspersed among meals and, of course, swinging a club for practice, all beginning at, yep, 5:30am each day.
With a very deep field in the tournament once again, it remains to be seen if McIlroy will be fit for his first green jacket in Augusta and complete the career Grand Slam (I may or may not have a fiver on McIlroy to win this thing). He’s off to a great start with a hole-in-one in a practice round today — so the chase and his dedication may very well pay off.
Full credits:
Client: Nike
Project: Nike Golf: Enjoy The Chase
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Creative Directors: Stuart Brown & Chris Groom
Copywriter: Jared Elms
Art Director: Naoki Ga
Producer: Ross Plumber/Jeff Selis/Katie Sellon
Production Company: Radical
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Executive Producer: Alex Orlovsky
Director of Photography: Grieg Fraser
Editorial Company: Rock Paper Scissors
Editor: Biff Butler
Post Producer: Assistant Editor: Alyssa Oh/Daniel Benhamo
Post Executive Producer: Christopher Noviello.
Executive Produce: Linda Carlson
Creative Director: Angus Wall
VFX Company: VFX Studio: a52
VFX Supervisor: VFX Supervisor: Andy McKenna
Flame Artist: CG Supervisor: Manny Guizar
VFX Producer: 2D VFX Artist(s): Cameron Coombs, Enid Dalkoff
Titles/Graphics: Finishing: Dan Ellis, Kevin Stokes, Gabe Sanchez
Head of Production: Kim Christensen
Executive Producer: Patrick Nugent
Music/Sound Company: Future Perfect
Composer: Craig Sutherland, Andy Huckvale
Producer: Max Gosling
Mix Company: Sound Mix
Lime Studios
Mixer: Zac Fisher
Mixing Assistant Kevin McAlpine
Exec Producer: Susie Boyajan