Nike China’s campaign, Qiang Diao is Earned, tells athletes in Shanghai that sports can offer you more than just fitness.
The film is centered around a concept closely associated with Shanghai. “Qiang Diao” (pronounced Ch’yang D’yow) is best translated as a mix of confidence, swagger and game. And in a city that places a lot of importance on style and image, Qiang Diao is something many people want for themselves.
Some think having the right clothes or hair might give the illusion of having it. But Nike believes this isn’t something you can fake or buy. You earn it, through sports.
Nike wants to dimensionalize the benefits of sport - showing athletes in Shanghai that sports doesn’t just improve stamina and muscle definition. Sport also builds athletes’ confidence, leadership skills, and mental toughness. These benefits were distilled into the concept of “Qiang Diao” to make the campaign more locally relevant to people in Shanghai.
The campaign’s anthem film follows a butler’s epic journey to find Qiang Diao for his demanding and tasteless boss.