‘Leave a little room for improv’: How not sticking to the brief culminated in one of Nike’s most iconic ads

The infamous Tiger Woods hacky sack ad is one of the most iconic sports campaigns, and, as it turns out, none of it was planned.

On part two of Mumbrella’s chat with Greg Hoffman – as part of our new one-on-one podcast series – the former Nike chief marketing officer recalled some of his favourite campaigns, including the Woods ad.

“[Woods] was actually shooting another commercial and in between takes at that commercial, out of boredom, he was doing that,” Hoffman explained.

“Some of the Nike teammates saw him just on the side doing the hacky sack with the golf ball… they were empowered to take that and go, ‘you know what?’ I think there’s an idea there.’”