A symbol of creativity in Japan.
When the pandemic lockdowns hit Japan in 2020, Nike’s plans to release their latest kicks took a real kick in the pants. So to stay true to the creative community’s passion for the Air Max brand, we needed an alternative way to get fans together and sharing their sneaker obsession in the absence of physical events.
An A.R. enabled zine that helps users customize their own Air Max.
This first-of-its-kind mixed reality experience brought together the creativity and stories from Japan’s sneaker community in the form of a printed magazine, but with an unexpected twist.
Throughout the pages, readers would find black and white blank Air Max illustrations. When they scanned the page with their phones, they would discover a 3D shoe model floating in the air. As the Air Max was colored on the physical page, the design would come to life in real-time. Once finished, the designs could be shared direct to social in a desperate seeking of peer validation.
Fans imaginations were fueled, and the spirit of Air Max was spread.
Thousands of copies of the 56-page limited edition zine were distributed to Nike stores, and high value customers’ homes, across Japan. Not only did our team design every last detail of the printed zine, we innovated a new, more interactive, way to customize product for Nike moving forward. We think Phil Knight’s “thank you” note got lost in the mail, but we’re sure it means a lot to him.
The work was awarded at D&AD, Clios, and other international shows, as well as cleaning up at local shows; One Show Asia, AdStars, and Spikes Asia.