Nike Football
Graphic direction
My association with Nike Football started in 2001, the remit then was to become the number one football brand in the world. It was on the lead up to the 2002 Fifa World Cup which Brazil went on to win and the record breaking kit deal with Manchester United had been finalised. Further high profile kit deals were also achieved which included Italian champions Juventus. My role in graphics extended across Nike Football apparel, from gameday to inline collections. This included the first Total 90 training collection which alongside other silos saw the first collaboration between apparel and footwear to commercially align. High profile advertisement campaigns were rolled out globally over the next few seasons with Nike athletes wearing the collections. This included Mercurial which appeared in the iconic Nike Freestyle Stick Man advert featuring Ronaldinho. Historic moments in the game were also achieved wearing Nike Football kits. Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ team went unbeaten throughout a whole season to be crowed champions of the Premier League.
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With over twenty teams spanning across all the top leagues in Europe, Nike Football offers performance innovation in gameday apparel. Each club has a unique heritage and DNA all in which could be integrated through colour, pattern and graphic detail. Throughout these uniforms a crafted approach was applied to the graphics to add refinement and depth. Finishing was a core value from the application of club crests to the articulation of stripes or patterns. A football kit is more than a uniform as it holds traditions and representation for fans that want to feel pride when wearing their club colours.
GAMEDAY
HOME /AWAY/ THIRD
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Total 90 was introduced by Nike Football in 2000 with the launch of the first T90 football boots. The concept was based on dedication and the notion that football obsession isn’t just for ninety minutes. The start of the next game is on the final whistle of the game just played. With this narrative the first T90 inline training collection was developed with a statement graphic designed to align with the Air Zoom II boot. The aesthetic was bold to portray power, this was in direct reference to the horizontal stitch lines that contributed to the look of the boot. The Air Zoom II was specifically designed with laces to the side to generate more power when striking the ball, this concept of power was the DNA for the whole T90 visual language.
TRAINING
TOTAL 90
In 2002 the inaugural Mercurial Vapor was launched, a boot crafted for touch and speed. Mercurial was a pioneering vision, the Vapor training collection complimented this innovation with technical apparel so players could wear a synergised Mercurial concept. The main graphic was dynamic and subtle to enrich a compelling and sophisticated training line. The contour aesthetic was a translucent screen print, designed for strategic placements on statement pieces, this graphic refinement was in alignment with the Vapor boot.
TRAINING
MERCURIAL
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Partnering with the best club teams in the world is a strategic focus for Nike Football. Attainment is a continuous process and lucrative, with the top clubs in Europe having global fan bases. A major opportunity arose when Juventus invited Nike Football to pitch for a proposed partnership. The Football design team’s remit would be to deliver a tailored presentation that could sell a vision by building strategic slides and also presenting design ideas. Home, Away and Third kits were especially created and shown in photorealism both in kit layout and on player visuals. Training, sideline and fan wear were also presented to show a compressive offer on what a future partnership could look like. Juventus was a major acquisition for Nike Football, and this success formed an affiliation that lasted over a decade.
JUVENTUS
PARTNERSHIP
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In 2003 a request by Nike Football was answered to produce a brand document that presented ideas and suggestions for SP04 and beyond. A primary branding strategy was proposed to adopt a progressive brand placement for the Swoosh on gameday jerseys. Traditionally the Swoosh would appear as a size #3 in either a right or centre chest placement. As Nike Football was increasing market share the exposure of the brand was gaining more media coverage. With this in mind a proposal was formulated to enlarge the Swoosh to a size #5 and place it near the shoulder seam. This would make the primary branding more visible in size but would also appear in cropped close up shots on the field of play and post match interviews. The strategy was adopted and first appeared on all 2004/2005 club and federation kits.