Lunar New Year: The Great Chase - Nike | Clapboard Ad Archive

Nike’s Lunar New Year campaign The Great Chase, created by Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai and launched in the United States in 2025, marks the brand’s first cinematic exploration of the Chinese New Year tradition of gifting red envelopes or hongbaos, a ritual steeped in respect, reciprocity, and familial bonds that unfolds over decades. The 90-second film centers on a young girl and her aunt whose playful yet determined exchanges of hongbaos evolve into an intergenerational chase, transforming a customary act of politeness and giving into a dynamic narrative of persistence, agility, and growing connection. By framing this cultural ritual through the lens of athleticism and movement, the campaign aligns seamlessly with Nike’s core mission to expand human potential and inspire every athlete, underscoring that anyone with a body is an athlete. The film’s storytelling leverages the etiquette of initially declining a gift before accepting it as a metaphor for respect and challenge, embedding Nike’s sportswear identity in the physicality of the chase without overt product placement, thus maintaining the brand’s storytelling subtlety while allowing the spirit of innovation, endurance, and transformation to shine through. Strategically targeted at culturally connected Chinese-American audiences, the campaign bridges heritage and contemporary identity by injecting energy and playfulness into a venerable tradition, deepening emotional engagement through a narrative that appeals to multiple generations. This culturally nuanced approach positions Nike not only as a leader in sportswear innovation but also as an empathetic and culturally literate brand that respects and celebrates the diversity of its consumers. The Great Chase fits squarely within Clapboard’s FORMAT#5—Exemplary Story category, as it crafts a multi-year arc where the product’s ethos becomes an integral part of the protagonist’s journey and ultimate success, making movement, determination, and athleticism the story’s driving forces. The campaign earns 82/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. This campaign matters to the industry because it demonstrates how culturally specific narratives can be harnessed to reinforce global brand values while authentically engaging diverse audiences through the universal language of sport and tradition.