For Nike, Claymation Erling Haaland Plays Soccer in a Wrestling Ring

Plus more 'Scary' goodness with Cole Palmer, Vini Jr. and Giulia Gwinn

Creatively speaking, Nike’s running in all directions—and impressively so!—as its newly-minted “Scary Good” soccer platform starts to gain traction.

Muse recently awarded the initial flight our Ad of the Week Honors. Now, spots from Wieden+Kennedy London and Amsterdam focus on four football elites. And we’re treated to an impressive (oft dizzying) array of storytelling styles.

In this corner: milk-lovin’ Erling Haaland, aka The Nordic Nightmare. We get soccer moves combined with pro wrestling, and nothing’s taken seriously—except selling shoes.

The WWE could learn something there.

Next, Cole Palmer leads “Reputation Damage Specialists,” a firm providing skinned defenders with new names and faces.

They’re not literally skinned. That’s probably a good thing.

Here’s a dopey and destructive late-night shopping spoof with Vini Jr. (plus a cameo by Ronaldinho):

Finally, Giulia Gwinn gets wrapped up in a conspiracy theory (like everyone else on Planet Earth these days):

Packed with Easter eggs, zingers and WTF attitude—but uncluttered by AI—the ads from director Björn Rühmann bring quirky energy to the Nike ethos. In terms of overall schtick, there’s nothing truly new. But it feels fresh for Nike. That’s key.

Snappy and shareable, the approach makes impressive use of these players, putting them in unexpectedly goofy situations that should appeal to Gen Z and beyond.