Ad of the Day: Nike Reaches High and Low in Perfectly Gleeful 4-Minute World Cup Spot

Nike's launch spot for its "Risk Everything" campaign around this summer's World Cup was somber and serious—with the darkness of Jonathan Glazer's direction in some ways running counter to Nike's traditionally lighter treatments of the world's great soccer players. Now, though, with part two released today, Nike gets its sense of humor back. The new four-minute film, titled "Winner Stays," from Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Ore., and Rattling Stick director Ringan Ledwidge (in his first major ad job since making the Guardian's "Three Little Pigs"), is just vintage Nike. Created in the same spirit and style as "Write the Future" from 2010, "Winner Stays" follows much the same formula as that celebrated spot—i.e., stunning action shots expertly offset by comic relief, all woven into a mini-narrative whose momentum builds to a quietly explosive set piece (in both advertising and soccer parlance) at the finale. It features quite the cast of characters, too. Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr. and Wayne Rooney get the top billing, but they're joined by Zlatan Ibrahimović, Gonzalo Higuaín, Eden Hazard, Andrea Pirlo, Gerard Piqué, Andrés Iniesta, Mario Götze, Thiago Silva, Thibaut Courtois and David Luiz (times two). And in a treat for American fans, U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard gets a major cameo, as well. But the celebs extend well beyond the soccer world, with Kobe Bryant, Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Irina Shayk and even the Incredible Hulk making memorable appearances. It all adds up to a freewheeling, joyful spot that manages the rare trick of making some of the world's most elite athletes seem both completely rarefied and yet eminently approachable. The differences between "Write the Future" and "Winner Stays" are notable, too. Whereas "Write the Future" was all glitz, glamour and high comedy, the new spot is more down to earth, right down to the central conceit introduced in the first few seconds—that these are actually just regular pickup-game players pretending to be their idols. In many ways, that fits Nike's ethos even better. "We connect to players' passion for the game, whether it is the world's best in Brazil or players in the park or street," said Davide Grasso, Nike's CMO. " 'Winner Stays' taps into an experience that every young player around the world will recognize—competition with friends and the idea of playing with your heroes, or pretending to be them." That kind of earthier World Cup, celebrating the everyman, is what Brazil 2014 promises. And this Nike spot sets the table just about perfectly. CREDITS Client: Nike Spot: "Winner Stays" Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore. Creative Directors: Alberto Ponte, Ryan O'Rourke Interactive Director: Dan Viens Copywriter: Jeff Salomonsson Art Director: Sezay Altinok Agency Producer: Endy Hedman Production Assistant: Julie Gursha Agency Executive Producer: Matt Hunnicutt Head of Production: Ben Grylewicz Account Team: Karrelle Dixon, Alyssa Ramsey, Ricardo Hieber Business Affairs: Laura Caldwell Executive Creative Directors: Mark Fitzloff, Susan Hoffman, Joe Staples Production Company: Rattling Stick Director: Ringan Ledwidge Executive Producer: Jen Barrons Head of production: Joe Biggins Line Producer: Sally Humphries Director of Photography: Ben Seresin Editorial Company: Work Editor: Rich Orrick Post Producer: Sari Resnick Assistant Editor: Eleanor McNaughtan VFX Company: The Mill Senior Executive Producer: Sue Troyan Executive Producer: Gemma Humprhies Executive Color Producer: LaRue Anderson Producer: Christina Thompson  Color Producer: Natalie Westerfield Project Lead/Creative Director: Tom Bussell Production Coordinator: Benjamin Sposato and Clare Melia Shoot Supervisor: Tom Bussell, Austen Humphries and Andrew Wood Lead Senior 2D Artist: John Shirley Colonel Muster/CD: Andrew Wood Colorist: Adam Scott Design: Kyle Moore and Greg Park 2D Artists: Grant Connor, Peter Hodsman, Siro Valente, Jonathan Westley, Zoe Cassey, Frank Hanna, Gary Driver, Joseph Tang, Tim Davies, Adam Labert, Brad Scott, Olivia O'Neil, Patrick Heinen, Patrick Munoz, Eleanor Risdon, Ben Smith, Daniel Thursesson, Jake Maymudes, Martin Karlsson, Cameron Smither, Gianluca Di Marco, Andy Godwin, Zoe Cassey-Hayes, Paul Downes, Georgina Ford, Scott Wilson   3D Artists: Tom Raynor, Adam Droy, Adam Darrah, Phillip Maddock, Edward Hicks, Paul Donnellan, Charlotte Akehurst, Arthur Larsen, Sergio Xisto, Rebecca Ferguson, Tom Graham, Mathew Fuller, Anthony Northman, Jake Flint, Hartwell Durfor, Danny Yoon, Michael O'Donoghue, Marta Carbonell, Fabrice Le Nezet, Margaux Huneau, Vasilis Pazionis, Lucy Luong, Jake Flint, Anthony Northman, Andy Wheater Hulk VFX Company: Luma Pictures Executive Supervisor: Payam Shohadai VFX Supervisor: Vince Cirelli Senior VFX Producer: Steven Swanson Commercial Executive Producer: Vicki Mayer VFX Producer: Michael Perdew Animation Supervisor: Raphael Pimentel CG Supervisor: Richard Sutherland CG Supervisor: Pavel Pranevsky Digital FX Supervisor: Justin Johnson Design Supervisor: Loic Zimmerman Look Development Lead: Jared Simeth Character TD Supervisor: Thana Siripopungul Senior FX TD: John Cassella Lead Digital Coordinator: Catherine Hughes Technical Coordinator: Daniel Kepler Model, Texture: Dulshan Keragala / Cosmin Hrincu/ Safari Sosebee, Oded Raz Animator: Alon Helman, Marcos Romero Lighter, Compositor: Satoshi Harada, James Waterson, Alex Cancado, Joey Sila, Joe Censoplano Roto, Paint Supervisor: Glenn Morris Lead Roto, Paint: Jessica Bakke Roto, Paint: Cameron Sorgi, Marcel Caue Martins, Prin Nimmannitya, Garrett Wycoff Sound Company: Formosa Group Sound Designer: Julian Slater Sound Producer: Branwen Prestwood Smith Song (if applicable): "Miss Alissa" Eagles of Death Metal Mix Company: Lime Studios Mixer: Rohan Young, Loren Silber Producer: Susie Boyajan