An older adult male in a white sleeveless tank top stands outdoors near a building; young adult female wearing a white top and red shorts is seen in a rural landscape with clear skies, suggesting late autumn or early spring. 1:39
Eugen Merher channel icon Eugen MerherOriginal creator 16M views Save

A student's Adidas ad that Adidas turned down

Adidas once asked college students to make ads for it. One student made a short film about an older man and a pair of white sneakers, and Adidas turned it down. more

The deal sounded good. If Adidas picked your ad, you got paid, and a job offer might come with it. Eugen Merher sent his in and heard no. So he posted it online himself, where the rest of us could make up our own minds.

Early on, a pair of white sneakers with blue stripes hits the pavement mid-stride. A few seconds later, a man is watering a television, a small odd detail that viewers love to point out.

A person in white sneakers with blue stripes is caught mid-stride on a paved surface. A headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
White sneakers with blue stripes hit the pavement early in the student's film.

At the center is an older man with white hair and a white shirt, looking straight ahead as he speaks. Elsewhere, an older man in a white tank top stands outside a building and smiles.

An older man with white hair, wearing a white shirt, looks forward while speaking. A headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
The older man at the center of the story looks straight ahead as he speaks.

Near the end, a woman in a white coat looks up with a serious face. Behind her, other people raise their hands in the air. The film is almost over by then.

A woman in a white coat looks upward with a serious expression while blurred figures behind her raise their hands. A headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
A woman in a white coat looks up as the people behind her raise their hands.

A lot of viewers admit it made them cry. One called it Super Bowl worthy. Others marvel at how much story fits into less than two minutes.

An older adult male in a white sleeveless tank top stands outdoors near a building; young adult female wearing a white top and red shorts is seen in a rural landscape with clear skies, suggesting late autumn or early spring. The headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
Adidas once asked college students to make ads for it.

There was teasing, too. People pointed out that Adidas got a great ad without paying a cent. A couple joked that it moved them so much they went out and bought Nikes. And one person promised that if it ever played as an ad, they wouldn't skip it, which may be the highest praise an ad can get.