Holy triathlon! Sister Madonna Buder features in new Nike work from W+K Portland
I was raised Catholic and in the pantheon of nuns, the likes of Mother Teresa and Frances Xavier Cabrini generally top the list of most famous — and deservedly so. They are badasses (such language!). However, one nun, 86-year old Sister Madonna Buder, known as the “Iron Nun,” is taking pious fame and that badassery (again, the language, Douglas!) one step further in Nike’s newest “Unlimited” campaign spot from Wieden+Kennedy Portland.
What makes this spot, “Unlimited Youth," so great is that: 1) Nike is continuing to get the everyday superstars in our lives front and center, 2) the VO for the campaign is some of the better casting I’ve heard in awhile (Star Wars: The Force Awakens actor Oscar Isaac) and 3) an amazing NUN!!
"Our goal really here is to take athletes of all types, ages, skill levels, on a journey to reach their full potential,” Nike’s CMO Greg Hoffman told Fast Company. "At its essence, the Unlimited campaign is about inspiring and motivating athletes to break through their limits. The idea that, as an athlete, it's not about finding your limit, it's about realizing that you have none. And I think with truly great athletes, the insight was that they get to the point of having an unlimited mindset. So for us, it's to truly engage with athletes around the world during this summer of sport, and get them into that mindset too so they can reach their own full potential.”
Sister Buder’s story is right in the middle of that delicious target. From Spokane, Washington, she competed in her first Ironman World Championship triathlon at age 55 in 1985 in Hawaii — and, according to Sport360, channelled the divine.
“I thought of the finish line as the entrance to the final finish line, into the Pearly Gates,” she said. “That’s what drew me to [it].”
At age 75, she became the oldest to ever complete an Ironman and, at 82, she set the world record as the oldest Ironman triathlon competitor — male or female. She has completed the grueling event 45 times and has more than 370 total triathlons under her belt (habit?).
"I've learned other life lessons along the way,” Buder told Triathlon Inspires, “But the ones that I'd look back and tell my twenty something self now are: It's not what you say, it's what you do; don't pay attention to how old you are, only focus on how old you feel.”
Indeed, sister. Now off to confession for my language in this — and, you know, other things, too.
Credits
Client: Nike (Ean Lensch, YinMei San, Amber Rushton)
Project name: Unlimited Stories (Unlimited Youth)
W+K Portland:
Global Creative Directors: Alberto Ponte, Ryan O’Rourke
Interactive Director: Dan Viens
Copywriter: Adam Tetreault
Art Director: Sara Phillips
Global Executive Producer: Matt Hunnicutt
Senior Agency Producer: Ross Plummer
Agency Producer: Mauricio Granado
Art Production: Amy Berriochoa, Jennifer Spillers
Project Management: Christina Kim
Studio Design Manager: Alicia Kuna
Studio Designer: Rehanah Spence, Edgar Morales
Retouchers: Amy Corcoran, Kyle Pero, Saskia Thomson, Greg Radich
Strategic Planning: Andy Lindblade, Nathan Goldberg, Brandon Thornton, Reid Schilperoort
Media/Comms Planning: Danny Sheniak, John Furnari, Brian Goldstein, Jocelyn Reist
Account Team:Chris Willingham, Alyssa Ramsey, Corey Woodson, Anna Boteva, Carly Williamson
Business Affairs: Amber Lavender
Broadcast Traffic : Stefanie Goodell, Andrea Sierra
Production
Production Company: PRETTYBIRD
Director: Max Malkin
Executive Producer: Ali Brown, Suzanne Hargrove
Head of Production: Tracy Hauser
Line Producer: Matt Wersinger
Director of Photography: Max Malkin
Production Designer: Rob Pearson
Editorial
Editorial Company: Rock Paper Scissors
Editor: Damion Clayton
Assistant Editor: Mike Spagnolli
Post Producer: Dina Ciccotello
Executive Post Producer: Helena Lee
VFX
VFX Company: The Mill LA
Creative Directors: Phil Crowe / John Leonti
2D Lead Artist: James Allen
2D Artists: John Shirley, Brad Scott, Alex Candish,
3D Artists: Andy Wheater, Jie Zhou, Michael Lori
VFX Producer: Anastasia von Rahl
VFX Coordinator: Rustie Burris
VFX Executive Producer: Enca Kaul
Color
Company: The Mill LA
Colorist: Adam Scott
Producer: Diane Valera
Executive Producer: Thatcher Peterson
Licensed Music
Musical Artist: Sandy Nelson
Track Name: Drums Are my Beat
Sound Design
Sound Design Company: Barking Owl Sound
Sound Designer: Michael Anastasi
Creative Director: Kelly Bayett
Producer: Ashley Benton
Mix
Music/Sound/Mix Company: Lime
Audio Mixer: Loren Silber
Audio Assistant: Mark Nieto
Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan