American athletic apparel brand Nike launched its first-ever campaign ad film, “What If You Can?” aimed at Saudi Arabian women, a first in Saudi history. The ad hopes to inspire girls in the Muslim-majority, ultraconservative kingdom to build confidence and realize their full potential through the power of sport. However, the ad also sparks debate on the role of women in a changing Saudi Arabia.
If you told me 10 years ago Saudi Arabia would allow commercials like this, I would laugh and call you crazy.
Despite all their issues, this is a monumental shift. pic.twitter.com/sWdF6wX5JH— (@NiohBerg) July 9, 2024
The film shot entirely in the kingdom’s capital, Riyadh, was made in collaboration with Haifaa Al-Mansour, Saudi Arabia’s first-ever female filmmaker who garnered fame after her groundbreaking debut feature “Wadjda” released in 2012 and was premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Like her latest work with Nike, “Wadjda” was a love letter to all the young girls in Saudi Arabia.
“I hope the film will encourage young women to push their boundaries and always look for new opportunities. If this film encourages girls to go out and try a sport for the first time, that would be the most rewarding thing I can possibly imagine,” Al-Mansour said.
Wieden + Kennedy helped develop the campaign video, which ran for one minute and 36 seconds. The film begins with a young Saudi Arabian female student sitting on school steps when a soccer ball is kicked towards her.
Subliminal message: Saudi girls can be free like Western ones. Obviously trying to corrupt our female children into western values.
— Roshan M Salih (@RmSalih) July 10, 2024
Although she does not join the game when another female student invites her to join, she spends the rest of her day finding inspiration in every action she takes, where she imagines herself doing various activities ranging from soccer to gymnastics and even skydiving.
The campaign ad video aimed to show a teenage girl’s exploration of movement, uncovering her abilities and finding joy in physical activity, which boosts her confidence. The film was also noted because the female student and other women were unveiled for most of the video.
As part of the campaign, Nike also collaborated with the American feminist storytelling platform Rebel Girls, which is on a mission to inspire and encourage girls' confidence through stories of female athletes such as Saudi footballer Seba Rabea Mohammed Tawfiq and Saudi sprinter Kariman Abuljadayel.
I know this is just an ad campaign right now but it couldn’t have even existed a few years ago. This is so much better than Wahhabism
— Drew Pavlou (@DrewPavlou) July 11, 2024
For Al-Mansour, the Nike ad campaign film was a dream and became a natural extension of her work as a filmmaker.
“It feels like a dream to shoot a commercial encouraging Saudi women to participate in sport, with an all-female cast, in Saudi Arabia. While I love working in the West, there is a much deeper sense of pride and emotion for me when taking on projects shot in KSA. I feel such a strong connection to this story and these issues; it is very emotional for me,” Al-Mansour said.
The film went viral when it was shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) and drew various reactions from netizens. Some Twitter users celebrated the ad, while others criticized it.
“If you told me 10 years ago Saudi Arabia would allow commercials like this, I would laugh and call you crazy. Despite all their issues, this is a monumental shift.” British-Iranian Jewish Nioh Berg said in her tweet.
That's what Saudi wants you to think. It's all part of their sportswashing strategy to partner with big brands/athletes to put an acceptable face on the country, and you've fallen right into it.
— Noah Alberts (@SwisherYard) July 10, 2024
“Subliminal message: Saudi girls can be free like Western ones. Obviously, trying to corrupt our female children into Western values.” London-based journalist Roshan M Salih, editor of the British Muslim news website 5Pillars, tweeted.
Nevertheless, despite a surge in sports participation, many young Saudi women still find sports unfamiliar and even overwhelming due to various barriers. The campaign aims to help women and girls become more involved by showing how everyday actions and movements can become sports skills if they put their minds to it.
