Every city thinks they own the Air Max 95. Liverpool swears they made it culture. London claims the wave started there. Glasgow won't hear otherwise. Milan? They're making a claim too.
So for the 95’s 30th anniversary, JD Sports (the real home of the 95) lit the fuse.
Bold, unapologetic OOH hit Liverpool, London, Glasgow and Milan simultaneously, before we took it digital with one question: “Which city owns the 95?” The response was immediate. Visceral. Liverpool and London emerged as the real contenders, with Jamie Webster, Bennetts and Dropdate joining the argument.
Then came the final move: lighting up Liverpool’s iconic Radio City Tower with “Liverpool, home of the 95.”
The debate raged on. And on launch day? 95s sold out across Liverpool, London, Glasgow, Paris and Milan.
In the following year JD needed to cut through without losing credibility (again). Their core audience was also deep in a polarising cultural conversation around masculinity, making it a tricky space for any brand to navigate.
So we went Above the Influence to put JD and Nike on the right side of the debate, anchoring the new colourway launch around Louis Theroux at the peak of hype around his manosphere documentary. By plugging the sneaker into a live cultural moment and driving a digital to real world experience, content spread the way sneaker hype actually travels, organically, through peer networks and by discovery.
Social didn't play a support role, it was the engine, and made this JD and Nike's most successful drop ever, sticking it to Tate and his twat mates at the same time.
Team
Role: Creative Director
Calum, Torbett, Dan Coultas, Karim Stoddart
Michael Phillips
Fran Baker, Megan Hulme
Matt Klemara
Nerd Folder / Geek File
The JD + Nike Crew
