Hi! Welcome to the 4 CreativeWheels newsletter — your weekly dose of insights on creativity and fuel for your creative journey.

We’ve done it! It’s Week #30! And for this week, we’ll be a bit different with our inspiration. We will go into the world of sports.

In this week’s issue, we will discuss why the “Have a Hard Year“ Nike video is great and what we can learn from it.

Without further ado…

Let’s start the ride!

Main Wheel

I was re-watching the "Have a Hard Year | Kobe" video from Nike. I cannot count how many times I have watched it. To say I love the video would be an understatement. It's a masterpiece that deserves to be watched again and again. Everything about it is a wonderful job done.

The part that stood out to me the most was the first shot and scene. The shot starts with a basketball on the snow. The protagonist is shoveling the snow. The basketball is shown again. While removing the snow, he paused and looked at the sky. The sky is full of fireworks indicating the New Year celebrations. Nevertheless, he keeps removing the snow until there is a wide shot showing him playing basketball on the snow-free part of the court.

It might not seem like a big deal. Yet, this scene was impactful. It is the reason why I keep rewatching the video. There is a great lesson in it, especially in the way the crew executed their idea.

One of the key factors that makes this video wonderful is the message. The team had a message and just passed it. It is a good example of what creatives can emulate. Especially from the first scene, we can draw 3 elements to apply in our own work.

For those unfamiliar with Kobe Bryant's impact, Kobe has been a symbol of sheer diligence, dedication, and passion to basketball fans. His "Mamba Mentality" became synonymous with his approach to the game, emphasizing a relentless pursuit of excellence, fierce competitiveness, and a willingness to push oneself beyond perceived limitations.

Kobe's impact surpassed his on-court achievements. He was a cultural icon, a global ambassador for basketball, and a role model for aspiring athletes and individuals alike. His influence transcended the sport, inspiring people to strive for greatness in their own lives, regardless of their chosen field.

After his death, Kobe's way grew stronger. His legacy keeps on inspiring millions and I could say billions. So, whenever the name Kobe is mentioned, people think of the dedication and perseverance Kobe embodied.

But instead of attaching these traits to Kobe only, people have connected it to themselves and their dreams. Kobe's way is a North Star. Therefore, whenever one wants to manifest those traits or needs to recall them, they just remember the Mamba mentality. They remember Kobe.

And that's where Nike nailed it. This video has a message. The message is simple. Still, it's rooted in love and reality. It is implanted in the love people have for Kobe. And it is ingrained in the real inspiration that Kobe brought to their reality.

This is an essential part to learn from. For our own work, there is no need for complex messages or purposes. If it needs to be complex, no problem. However, what Nike demonstrated is how important the message has to be rooted in love and reality. And when you have that, you're on the right track.

Secondly, this video is great because of how it exhibits the message. It does not just tell it. It illustrates the message put into practice. The very first frame of the video is a basketball in the snow. As we've covered earlier, the protagonist is shoveling the snow. He is removing the snow on a certain part of the court. When he finished doing so, he started playing basketball.

Nobody can play basketball in the snow. It just would not work. Yet, the protagonist did not let it be an obstacle. He had one mission and that was to practice. So, he moved the obstacle away. While moving his obstacle, another form of obstacle occurs.

The obstacle in question is the very fact that it was happening on January 1st. Why would you practice on January 1st? Isn't it the perfect day for a day off? No was the response of the protagonist. He had one goal and that was to put in the reps. Hence, he kept shoveling until he could fulfill his mission.

This perfectly validated the message. It illustrated the point put into practice. The point is to be like Kobe. It's to have the Mamba mentality. And that requires you to be driven and dedicated to your craft. No obstacles should be accepted. No excuses should be made.

As the protagonist shoveled the snow, he showed his dedication. Even as the fireworks reminded him of the New Year celebrations, he did not care. All he wanted was to be like, as he shouted, "Kobe."

This is the second element we can learn from this Nike video. In our work, we need to illustrate the point put in practice, not just give examples. The first scene displayed the message in real life. It showed how it is put into practice. Moreover, it revealed the several facets that could be part of implementing the message. Hence, when you have the message, the most impactful way to illustrate it is to put it into practice.

But the brilliance of this video does not stop there. Often, whenever we want to illustrate a message put in practice, we do it the common way. We take the examples that we are familiar with and simply use them. Nike does it differently. Nike inserts an element that goes against the flow but reinforces the message.

In the first scene, the protagonist removes the snow. The basketball is shown placed on the snow. He looks at the sky which is full of fireworks because of the New Year. He keeps removing the snow until he can play. The protagonist bounces the ball, turns, and shoots. You would expect a sweet ending. Yet, the ball does not get in. It is a miss.

Yes, they took a familiar example. A guy playing basketball is nothing extraordinary. Yet when you add the layer of him first removing the snow, it becomes more interesting. Then you also have him actually missing the shot. And that was exquisite.

The goal was not to score. The goal was not to just play basketball. The goal was to show up and keep the dedication going in spite of everything. The snow did not stop the protagonist. He did not care if it was on January 1st. He did not even mind being alone. All he was focused on was to put in the reps. No excuses were made. The perseverance was shown.

His objective, which he attained, was to be like Kobe. This was the message. That was a perfect representation of the message Nike passed through this wonderful video. And that is the third element we can learn from Nike. Whenever we pass a message, we need to insert an element that goes against the flow but reinforces the message.

Of course, there is more to the "Have a Hard Year" video. There is the great lightning, the composition, and so on. All of these things participated in the end product. And the quality of all these factors is valuable to study.

However, what we can all do is to learn from the 3 elements the video demonstrated. These elements are to have a message that is rooted in love and reality, illustrate the message put in practice, and insert an element that goes against the flow but reinforces the message. The beauty in them is they can be done by anyone. And they can elevate your work.

Inspiring Wheels

Here are two (or more) creative works that you’ll not regret checking out:

• "Have a Hard Year" - Nike | This is the masterpiece that inspired this week's issue. Enjoy! Kobe!

• "make your own things" Scott Yu-Jan | A nice and creative video on why to make your own things. I wanted to buy a 3D printer after the watch. A pretty well-done piece by Scott.

Want to share this issue of 4CW with a friend, colleague,… any human being? Just copy and paste this link: https://4creativewheels.beehiiv.com/p/january-23-2025 😉 😃

Thank you so much for reading! 

As always, feel free to reply to this email & share your thoughts, stories, and any experience related to this topic. I’d love to hear them!  

C ya next Week! 

Embracing Creativity™,

Richard M.

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