Phuong Nguyen
📁 NikeAir Max Pulse Cobblestone
Role — Creative Director
This project set out to launch the Air Max Pulse Cobblestone by bringing its performance features to life through playful, visually driven storytelling that emphasized both function and personality. We aimed to highlight key product callouts and differentiators with unexpected, engaging creative that brought the sneaker’s performance benefits to life. To do this, we designed a mini-shoot with three distinct setups, each crafted to showcase a unique feature of the Air Max Pulse. Across all scenes, we captured a mix of stills and loopable motion portraits optimized for Instagram surfaces. The creative direction leaned into a bold and rebellious “Maxxed Out” ethos—visually sharp, irreverent, and easy to absorb—positioning the Pulse as both high-performing and culturally relevant.

In the first setup, we spotlighted the bounce and energy return of the point-loaded air bag system with a vignette featuring balloons, inflatables, and heavy stones—using visual contrast to amplify the sneaker’s responsiveness. In post, we used diptych-style edits and tight transitions to reinforce the story. The second setup showcased the Pulse’s durability through a controlled test environment that mimicked urban terrain, including packed dirt and puddles. We layered in ASMR-style sound design to enhance the tactile feel. The final setup tapped into the music-inspired DNA of the Pulse, using a vintage Nike “The Monitor” heart monitor and television, along with a speaker that physically bounced the shoe—visually syncing the heartbeat of the sneaker with rhythm and movement. Together, the vignettes delivered a playful, benefit-driven campaign that redefined performance storytelling for city athletes. TEAM:
Creative Direction — Phuong Nguyen
Designer — Juriel Furukawa, Grant Gulla
Copywriting — Clara Malley
Production — Dylan Malone
Director & DP  — Brian Kelly
Set Design — Selena Liu
Editor — Lisa Cai








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