entertainment

Nike's viral new ad is an enormous step in the right direction.

 

Arab women riding skateboards, leaning on motorbikes, leaping between buildings and galloping across the desert.

“What will they say about you?” is the question sporting giant Nike poses in its latest ad campaign featuring a cast of Arab and Muslim women.

The advertisement features some of the most recognisable female athletes in the Middle East.

The video captures the perfectly balanced sweeps of ice-skater Zahra Lari, the sheer power of parkour trainer Amal Mourad, the trained strength of boxer Arifa Bseiso and the precision of fencer Inès Boubakri.

Even the narrator, whose gentle tones guide the audience through each display of strength, is renowned Saudi researcher and activist Fatima Al-Banawi.

There is something so reassuring about a brand recognising the power of women without falling on the commercial crutches of blonde ponytails and skimpy tops.

No blonde ponytails here, only badassery. (Source: Nike/YouTube)
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The short clip has already gained millions of views through social media channels as users continue to like, share and ultimately support its message.

The campaign, as writer Aaisha Dadi Patel points out for The Daily Voxx, is not perfect in its inclusion. The ad ignores through exclusion the presence of black Muslim women and those who do not adhere to the body type of the classically slender woman.

The advertisement may not represent all Muslim or Arab women but its already viral impact on the global market almost promises a more diverse future for the brand.