Skateboard Star Rayssa Real Stars In Nike’s ‘New Fairies’ To Inspire A Young Generation

To celebrate the Olympic debut (and silver medal) of Brazilian skateboarder and brand ambassador Rayssa Real, late July saw Nike release a 90-second spot called ‘New Fairies’.

Blending street skateboarding footage of 13-year-old star wearing fair wings with an animated, Disney-style cartoon aesthetic, the spot launched in the last week of July immediately prior to the start of skateboarding’s Olympic debut.

Using fun, joyous and playful elements – from brightly coloured animated animals and a classic children’s cartoon soundtrack, the ad seeks to inspire a new, younger generation of athletes.

The ‘fairy’ theme links back to when Rayssa Real first came to the attention of the wider world when she went viral at the age of seven through an online video in which the young Brazilian was dressed as a fairy princess when she landing what Tony Hawk coined as the ‘fairytale heelflip’ trick.

The campaign, created with agency Wieden + Kennedy São Paulo, seeks to champion a young athlete paving the way for a new generation of teen girl skaters and reinforce Nike’s current ‘Play New’ global brand platform championing participation and taking on new challenges.

Of course, the ad’s underlying message is that skateboarding tricks and magic doesn’t happen like a fairy tale, but rather takes commitment, bravery and dedication.

Comment:

This was not only a striking and sparkling piece of creative film making, but also a well-timed ambassador campaign from Nike as Rayssa Real not only scooped up a silver medal in the women’s street skateboarding competition at Tokyo 2020, but also demonstrated the youthful joy, exuberance and collegiate competitor support during the Games. All of which were themes and tones explored in the spot.