Nike made a return to Super Bowl advertising after 27 years, unveiling its So Win campaign during Super Bowl LIX. The 60-second commercial, which aired during the highly anticipated broadcast, spotlights some of the world’s most celebrated female athletes, including Caitlin Clark, Sha’Carri Richardson, A’ja Wilson, Jordan Chiles, and Sabrina Ionescu.
Narrated by rapper Doechii, the advertisement challenges the stereotypes and limitations placed on women in sports. The tagline ‘Whatever you do, you can’t win. So win.’ turns a historically dismissive message into a powerful call to action. The campaign focuses on resilience, determination, and the ability of female athletes to break barriers despite the doubts and expectations placed upon them.
Beyond the advertisement, Nike’s branding appeared 819 times across 521 unique frames during the Super Bowl broadcast, marking a strategic and visually dominant presence throughout the event.
“At Nike, we make sure the athlete is at the centre of everything we do, from product creation to storytelling,” said Nicole Graham, Chief Marketing Officer, NIKE, Inc. in a press release. “We are at our best when we are representing the voice of the athlete and their voice becomes our voice. This brand anthem, featuring elite Nike athletes, is a perfect example of how we can inspire everyone to win, whatever that means for them.”
The advertisement is a fast-paced, visually striking montage capturing the intensity, focus, and triumph of its featured athletes.
The ad opens with Sha’Carri Richardson, the Olympic sprinter, staring directly into the camera, her gaze unshaken. The scene immediately cuts to Caitlin Clark, gripping a basketball with quiet intensity. As the visuals unfold, a voiceover delivers a string of criticism, statements about what these women supposedly can’t do but should do anyway.
The focus then shifts to Jordan Chiles, poised in a gymnastics arena. In slow motion, she launches into a powerful, gravity-defying flip, each movement executed with precision before she lands flawlessly.
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Interwoven with these scenes, a voiceover delivers biting criticisms, lines such as ‘You’re too weak’ and ‘You should smile more’, which are then visually countered by compelling action. Sha’Carri Richardson is shown bursting off the track, her determination evident in every stride, while A’ja Wilson powers past defenders on the basketball court, demonstrating her strength and resilience.
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Jordan Chiles appears in another sequence, her athletic prowess captured as she performs a flawless, gravity-defying manoeuvre imitating the Nike Swoosh.
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In this campaign, Nike highlights the achievements of renowned athletes such as Caitlin Clark, Sha’Carri Richardson, A’ja Wilson, and Jordan Chiles. Their performances not only defy the initial criticisms but also embody the spirit of resilience and determination that the ad seeks to celebrate.
The campaign immediately sparked intense conversations online. Some praised Nike for putting women’s sports at the forefront in one of the most-watched television events of the year. Others found the ad’s approach divisive, questioning whether highlighting gendered criticism was the right strategy.
Despite mixed reactions, the ad was a success in terms of engagement, becoming Nike’s most-watched video on Instagram with over 114 million views. The company has launched posters with quotes from the athletes, for the fans.
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Nike’s return to Super Bowl advertising after nearly three decades comes at a time when women’s sports are gaining visibility and breaking viewership records. ‘So Win’ reflects this shift, highlighting individual athletes and the broader conversation around recognition and equality in sports.
“You don’t wait for attention, you take it. You put in the work; you stay ready; and, when the moment comes, you own it,” says Chiles. “Winning isn’t just about medals. It’s about overcoming, about proving to yourself that you’re capable of more than you ever imagined. And doing it all authentically.”
As women in sports continue to push boundaries, the message is clear, regardless of the obstacles, the criticism, or the doubts, they will win.
