Any woman who has experienced pregnancy, labor, and delivery knows just how physically challenging all phases of child bearing are. Anyone who has watched a woman deliver a baby also knows what an incredible fete of strength and endurance pregnancy and childbirth are.
In a brilliant new ad highlighted by TODAY, Nike is taking on a demographic often overlooked in the sports and fitness industry. The ad was released to promote Nike’s new line of maternity wear the company released in September 2020, and opens with the question: “Can you be an athlete? You, pregnant? You, a mother? That depends.”
The minute-long video goes on to highlight various women and athletes through the different stages of pregnancy and postpartum recovery. The video’s caption reads: ““Motherhood looks different for everyone. But no matter what you do or how you do it, you are the toughest athlete.”
Speaking to the pregnant woman and new mother, the narrator begins:
“What is an athlete? Someone who moves? Sounds like you. Someone who gets it done, no matter what? You do that. Someone who listens to her body? Also you. Someone who defies gravity? You. Someone who deals with the pain, hits her limit and pushes past it? … You, you, you.” the narrator says. “So, can you be an athlete? If you aren’t, no one is.”
As the ad plays, more than 20 women and famous female athletes from around the world are highlighted, as stated in a press release from Nike. Some of the recognizable faces include tennis pro Serena Williams and her daughter Olympia, Olympic hurdler Nia Ali, soccer star Alex Morgan, and many others.
The beautiful video was created using 22 hours of footage captured by the featured women and their families, with each shot directed by producers through Zoom in order to keep all participants safe and healthy.
The video has received a very positive and emotional reaction from women everywhere due to it’s praise and admiration of all that goes into being a mother. It is refreshing to see women esteemed for the incredible individuals they naturally are, and hopefully more companies and organizations will follow Nike’s example and promote women for who they already are, and not merely for who society says they should be.
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