NIKE ID – LARRY FITZGERALD
Client: Nike ID / Brand Manager: Matt Millette / Agency: Brand Kitchen / Creative Director: Manny Bernardez / Copywriter: Jason Effman / Producer: Christa Panfilio / Production Company: Nike Brand Kitchen / Director: Manny Bernardez / DOP: Michael Fitzmaurice / Producer: Christa Panfilio / Animation House: Oh Hello / VO Record: Chip Sloan / Music: Matt Huchinson / Sound Design: Clatter and Dinn
A legacy doesn’t just happen. It’s built—detail by detail, day by day.
This Nike ID film follows NFL icon Larry Fitzgerald as he reflects on the elements that shaped him: the doubters who fueled him, the mentors who guided him, and the moments that drove him to become one of the greatest wide receivers in the game.
The shoe at the center—his custom Nike Trainer 1—isn’t just design. It’s biography. Every color, number, and stitch pulls from Larry’s journey: his college and pro teams, his father’s relentless dedication, his mother’s influence, his foundation (612), and the number that’s always defined him—11. His mantra? Train like you're chasing number one. Play like you are number one.
Written by longtime Nike creative cohort Jason Effman, the script gave Larry the space to narrate his own story—grounded, personal, and direct.
Visually, the film unfolds as a layered mixed-media piece, blending stop motion, cell animation, and live action into a seamless metaphor for memory and self-determination. Working in close collaboration with animator Sean Pecknold and VFX artist Thai Tran, director Manny Bernardez brought Larry’s voice to life inside a storybook. Each line of narration animates onto the pages in real time, building meaning with every turn. Eventually, the book folds into the silhouette of a shoe, which explodes into digital life—landing inside Nike ID’s shoe builder interface.
As the camera pulls back, Larry stands in frame, inviting the viewer to do what he did:
Create your own legacy.
The film was widely embraced for its unexpected visual language and resonant storytelling, ultimately earning Manny Bernardez a spot in the DGA’s New Director Showcase.