Nike - Bad Listener -(2008) :55

He never listens. He just does it. Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam have created a new spot for Nike, 'Bad Listener', to coincide with the start of the Beijing Olympics. Created by David Smith and Sezay Altinok and creatively directed by Eric Quennoy and Mark Bernath, the 55" TVC features Oscar Pistorius, the South African Paralympian sprinter who, through his bravery, grit and determination, is making the world rethink what it means to be an athlete. The commercial tells Oscar's story through his own eyes and words, and focuses on the fact that whenever he has been told he can't achieve something due to his disability, he has gone on regardless and has become a highly accomplished athlete. By championing his talents beyond athletics: his prowess at water-polo, rugby and motor-cross, defying the critics and naysayers at every turn -- the commercial highlights his achievements as even more extraordinary. The film was shot by the New York director Brent Harris and draws on the dry beauty of Oscar's hometown -- Pretoria in South Africa. Harris, who was born in South Africa, pushed hard to faithfully recreate images from Oscar's past. To maintain authenticity, he used Oscar's original sport medals and photos from his childhood and many of the school sport scenes were filmed at Pretoria Boys' High, where Oscar attended as a teenager. Eric Quennoy, Creative Director, said 'We were truly inspired by Oscar's spirit and the way he turns conventional wisdom on its head. Like he says in his sporting motto -- 'you are not disabled by the disabilities you have, you are able by the abilities you have'.

Production: Rabbit Ad agency: Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam