Haein Kim and Tayfun Pekdemir illustrate posters for Nike’s The Land of New Football

As part of its ongoing campaign The Land of New Football, Nike has commissioned illustrators Haein Kim and Tayfun Pekdemir to create five new posters to be shown in five different countries: the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands. With art direction from Adrián Mora, each poster presents a different footballer from the country in question, using Haein and Tayfun’s signature aesthetics. The vibrant illustrations depict them in action, playing the game how they want to and speaking to Nike’s “Play New” (also the name of a wider campaign) messaging. The carefree approach of the artists to the illustrations and of the footballers to the game is intended to encourage experimental playstyles and resonate with the idea that sport can open doors to diversity, inclusivity, and openness. The series also features photography from Nwaka Okparaeke.

Launched on 25 June, The Land of New Football also features work from Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, who created the campaign film. The campaign aims to shine a light on a younger generation of players, from the professionals to the everyday athletes, who are pushing boundaries. So, alongside the illustrated posters, which will be exhibited in London, Berlin, Rome, Barcelona, and Amsterdam, Nike has also released Nike Football News Instagram Stories. Every Friday for a month, the Nike Football account will be turned into “a platform for young footballers to be recognised for all the good they bring to the sport”. The Instagram story news show, which is the first of its kind, will show clips from both professional games and games being played on local pitches, backyards, beaches, and more.

These new features follow the release of the Land of New Football campaign film, which launched late June and starred Manchester United’s 23-year-old rising star Marcus Rashford, who has received widespread acclaim for his work in helping to end child hunger, food waste, and homelessness. He has become the face of the Nike campaign as a footballer who embodies its values: “In the end, we’re not just celebrating great football. We’re spurring on those who are out there trying to make the game better, not just for themselves but for the sport and all those that call The Land of New Football home.”