So we were on our way to Battersea Power Station to see the highly anticipated global launch for the new Nike Mercurial Superfly II. Tonight they were to present the boot to the face of Mercurial, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Besides the grey and wet weather, and the derelict surroundings, I was actually looking forward to seeing how Nike will transform this South London national landmark into a press friendly, football frenzy. Add to that the interest of the technology on this new and improved Mercurial boot, it was looking to be a good event.
We started at the gate where we were picked up by a space cruiser which proceeded to drive us to the entrance of the power station. It was a mere 200 yards from the gate and when asking the driver about the reason for such a small trip, he replied, “So your shoes don’t get dirty”. I thought that was a nice touch, but they still got dirty – thanks anyway. As for the powerstation wow, I never really imagined how colossal this building was. With the lighting effects and Mercurial boot graphics seamlessly placed in perfect symmetry on the building. It was truly a spectacle on entry and what a first impression..
Walking into the building, past the corridor of light sabers, you are led to the main room displaying Nike football product ranging from vintage Brazil shirts, boots worn by Ronaldo and memorabilia from previous Nike football campaigns. It was like an Aladdin’s cave of Nike football history. It was crazy seeing some of those nostalgic adverts that really got me into Nike product, but nice to see.
So we had been chilling around in the main room for a little bit now. Itís packed full with reporters and press from across the globe. We spotted a few London heads at the venue, including the legendary Gary and stunning Amber Lee from Crooked Tongues- always a pleasure. We also bumped into some of our US counterparts, shouts to Jeff at High Snobiety and Brad at Complex Magazine- nice meeting you! By this point I had eaten enough mini pizzas to piss off the dough boy and the sentence on every ones lips were asking, “Where is he?”
Moments later, everyone is summoned to make their way to the interview area where Nike has put together an enormous screen to present the new boot. First up to present is Mark Parker (President and CEO of Nike Inc.) is a long-standing employee and a very important part of Nike’s creative/innovative history- if anyone knows about the Nike ‘Way of the Maxims’ and the mission for the company- this is the man. He gave us the brief intro, which covered Nike’s football ethos and the steps they are taking to enhance player performance via innovative and game changing product. He also tapped on the fact that Nike Inc., after buying Umbro, is now the biggest football brand in the world, which means that Nike and Umbro combined is kind of a big deal. It was nice to hear that it is more partnerships than relationships, they try and build on. It was a very inspiring speech indeed from the Nike staple.
We were then led onto our second speaker, Trevor Edwards (Vice President – Global Brand Management) who gave a quick overview about online visual experiences for the consumer, interpreting to us what Nike is striving for in terms of interaction through the Internet. He highlighted the new Nike Football + system, where your average five-a-side footballer can compare stats with their favourite pro players. It enables an interactive experience between player and pro, all this through an iTouch or iPhone- complete genius. You can actually go as far as finding some of the technical secrets and signature moves these pros hold then apply it to your training. It is almost like a mini football coach on your iPhone, but instead of it being just any coach, it could actually be Ronaldo or Drogba teaching you some fancy footwork.
We were then given an overview of the complete construction of the new Mercurial boot, by Nike Head Football Designer Andy Caine. This was an in-depth slide show on what the boot was compiled of and how it will improve first step acceleration,fore foot traction, adaptability and fit and to be quite honest some of the technology on this boot is comparable to seeing the conquord when it came out. This boot is mind blowing, its compiled from the new re engineered fly wire technology with lightweight cable structure to create a more secure fit, almost glove like. It also lightens the boot by a few more grams. To add to the light weight secure skeleton. It has a reconfigured carbon plate with tuned chassis, which keeps players close to the ground for better traction. Also secondary toe action, to give grip when taking off. This clever feature was inspired by the high percentage of slips a player takes when breaking into sprint .
If your not already thinking that this boot is a foot ballers best friend, my favourite aspect is the Nike SENSE system,which is compiled from a hybrid soul plate of studs,blades and moulds to give traction on demand on any playing surface. This amazing bit of technology automatically adapts to playing conditions based on pressure exerted by the player and interaction with the pitch. Adaptable stud expands and retracts by a range of 3mm to provide traction security regardless of surface or firmness. Then there’s the tri-blade configuration, directional positioned blades to maximize cutting and direction. This give a screw like mechanism to maximize cutting and direction, changing speed on all surfaces. Last but not least the central traction arms to enhance acceleratingly and breaking. All this on one boot, I honestly can say Nike have taken it to another level. Im pretty sure the bar just got higher, in terms of football innovation and i wont be surprised if you suddenly see a lot of players increasing there level of performance with this nifty bit of football genius.
After a quick introduction the presenter introduces Cristiano Ronaldo, sporting a Portuguese track jacket and a Colgate smile. The cheeky chap sits down for the Q&A.
Here is a video clip of our experience at the Summit for your visual enjoyment.
Nike never seem to fail in terms of set up and aesthetic look, and no i’m not talking about the boot now. The event itself was another lavish spectacle arranged and displayed in the best location. In terms of of being a small introduction to the world cup 2010, I certainly felt like I was part of a secret society of football enthusiasts. Their to report on the first steps to this amazing tournament and Getting a full insight into what nike are doing to progress and innovate not just the players and product, but the beautiful game itself.
Stay tuned for part 2 – The Nike considered designed football kits
Words : Q
Photography: CanonJon Devo/Nike
Video editing and post production : Stitch Filmz
