I've always loved a good competition

I've always loved a good competition. So, it's not surprising that the new Nike ad for Nike Plus strongly appeals to me. The commercial is part of the Men vs. Women virtual running campaign. The race, which started March 13 and ends on April 20, will add up all the kilometers run by men and women across the globe to see who’s the winner, men or women. You can join the virtual running race at www.nikeplus.com, something I'm strongly considering. The ad features Eva Longoria, her husband, NBA player Tony Parker, tennis ace Rodger Federer, Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, long distance runner Paula Radcliffe, hip hop dancer Sofia Boutella and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres (a favorite of mine).



What's interesting is the each celebrity's own point of view on the Men vs. Women rivalry. "Women are generally better organized and more consistent," said marathon world record holder, Paula Radcliffe. "You might see the guys start off a bit faster and probably running at a quicker pace, but they're fair weather runners. If the rain or snow comes in, the guys are going to bottle out!"

Inter Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic countered with, "Men are better competitors. We're more powerful and, mentally, we're tougher ..."

The champion will be determined by winning two of the three categories: total kilometers, average kilometers per runner and the most kilometers run by an individual in a 24-hour period. Throughout the competition, participants will be encouraged to create individual consequences and rewards against their friends and partners, based on the overall gender winner.

The Men vs. Women campaign was created by 72andSunny. The TV ad was directed by Tim Godsall and the music track is Gnarls Barkley's "Run (I am a Natural Disaster)." 72andSunny is also responsible for other creative elements such as print, out-of-home, online films and retail. AKQA created the digital aspects of the campaign.

I love EURO 08 ads

I have to admit as a Liverpool fan and someone who is closely following the EURO 08 I really felt this ad was cool. Then again anything that ties Liverpool to EURO 08 especially since England didn't even qualify (Thanks for that, Russia) is exciting. What do you think? Is it cool or just an easy tie-in for Nike?

Client: Nike
Agency: 72andSunny
Creative Director: Glenn Cole,
Bryan Rowles
Copywriter: Jon Matthews
Producer: Juliet Pearson,
Benji Howell
Production Company: Outsider UK
Director: James Rouse
Director of Photography: David Luther
Executive Producer: Robert Campbell
Editorial Company: Marshall Street Editors
Editor: Jinx
Post Production: Glassworks
Audio Post: Factory Studios
Music Company: One More Music Company

Also, while we're at it, you might want to check this out as well: http://uk.youtube.com/23diaspt