María Sharapova feels pretty.

As anyone in NYC knows, the U.S. Open starts this weekend. I know this because of all of the ads, the subway specials, etc. I also know this because of the sudden influx of tennis commercials. Late August is to tennis what June was to football/soccer.

I saw this spot on TV the other night, and was immediately swept up in the song... it's hard not to be. It's fun, it's peppy, and ultimately, it shows girls can be a hell of a lot more than just pretty.

"I'm excited about this ad because not only is Nike drawing attention to women's tennis, but there's also an empowering message for female athletes that it's okay to be fierce and competitive on the court and still have a feminine side off court," said Sharapova. (from CNN Money)

On the other side, however, as David from Thirdway points out, "Sharapova was hired as a spokesperson by Nike not just because she is one of the top female tennis players, but because she is very attractive. So while she works unique well for this campaign, there are still lots of other players who will never have this chance because of the societal values that Nike is taking aim at in this spot." Hmmmm.



Client: Nike
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.