Adidas just unveiled its new commercial starring LSU Tigers guard Hailey Van Lith, aiming to inspire athletes to find joy in their sport and alleviate performance pressure.
The spot, scheduled to air during major tournaments, underscores the importance of embracing the fun in competitions.
Set to Queen's hit track "Under Pressure," the short ad starts off with two young athletes facing off and preparing for a jump ball.
With a stark height difference between the two, the protagonist closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
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"Hold on, it's only a game," she remembers, shoving aside the pressure of performance.
Viewers then see Van Lith playing with high school basketball players, building camaraderie amongst them, as well as a genuine love for the sport.
"It's only a jump," the protagonist says, as she confidently makes her jump, and the screen cuts to black.
The ad concludes with a message to all aspiring women basketball players: "You Got This."
Fighting Sports Pressure, One Campaign at a Time
Dropping just in time for the NCAA's March Madness, the sports giant's latest advert also comes as part of its ongoing campaign launched last February, which focuses on supporting athletes at all levels.
The campaign brought together diverse sporting icons, including eight-time WNBA All-Star Nneka Ogwumike, to educate athletes how professionals handle pressure.
"Our focus is helping these athletes re-capture the joy they have playing sports," Chris Murphy, Adidas senior VP of brand marketing, said in a statement.
"In partnership with Hailey Van Lith, we’re inspiring the next generation of athletes and helping them get back to why they started playing sports in the first place – to have fun.”
Van Lith also shared the mentality she carries throughout her sports journey, never shying away from a challenge.
"Putting yourself in situations where you’re tested and proving that you can overcome internal or external pressure gives you confidence to play freely and lean into those competitive moments, like championship tournaments, with eagerness rather than fear."
In addition to the "You Got This" campaign, Adidas has announced an update to its Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) network, which provides opportunities for student-athletes at partnered Division 1 schools to capitalize on their name, image and likeness.
With over 12,000 athletes from various sports already on board, including basketball, track & field, football, soccer, and baseball, Adidas aims to further invest in and develop the network to empower student-athletes and educate them on the evolving NIL landscape.
Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang