Nike Swim: Swim Dem Crew by Brandnation

Nike Swim has collaborated with inner-city London swim club, Swim Dem Crew, to host an outdoor swimming masterclass that aims demonstrate the inclusivity and accessibility of the sport.

Nike Swim sought out a partner that, like itself, seeks to expand swim culture and create community through swimming - helping to bring their #flowfree campaign concept to life.

Swim Dem Crew is a London-based swim club that was founded in 2013 with the aim of getting more people swimming, making the sport more inclusive and less solitary. The organisation believes in the power of using swimming as a tool for personal development and that it can be used to empower individuals and communities.

The campaign, devised by Nike Swim's communications agency Brandnation, included a swimming masterclass at Parliament Hill Lido in London with key media and influencers, in which a spot was created the communicate the power of water and sense of community.

In the spot, participants in the masterclass talk about how swimming has been important to them. “The open water is like my best friend,” says one. “It’s always been there for me in times when I’ve been really down. It’s probably the best relationship that I’ve ever had.”

Says another: “Swimming for me, when I was young, was confidence. It definitely settles your mind, and they say that if you can submerge yourself in water, you are just at peace.”

The campaign was amplified through PR and social by Brandnation. The spot was filmed and edited by Ruby + Boya and James Carnegie captured the campaign's photography.