Anyone who’s gone running after a hard day knows the power of an active imagination. With every arm pump, you might be punching your boss in the face. With every stride, you’re building yourself into the powerhouse that will soon confront your boyfriend about his lack of follow-through.  Some picture themselves as superheroes, sprinting through the streets to make the ultimate rescue. When we push our bodies, our minds make the physical effort possible–and even fun.

W+K’s latest spots for Nike+ helps bring those mental adventures to life. The star runners of their TV ads are in a real-life video game, leaping up palettes and climbing through windows as they complete their workouts. Nike+ helps runners measure, map, track and share their runs, gamifying the work out process and inspiring everyday runners to reach farther.

My only complaint with both ‘Game on World’ and ‘Run Your City’ is their weak music selection. I get that they’re going for a tinkery game soundtrack, but I would rather they forfeit the game theme in favor of some motivational (and still techno-flavored) Diplo or bouncy pop Walk the Moon.

Credits and ‘Game on World’ video after the jump.

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It took the joint efforts of W+K’s Portland HQ and Sao Paulo branch to come up with this new sport for Nike, which arrives just a week after AKQA launched its own running-themed piece for Nike+. Maybe it’s that time of year to motivate people to get off their asses and get in shape (but wait, isn’t it almost winter?). Whatever the case, W+K’s latest Nike work features an athletic, extremely focused gal who is undeterred by whatever life throws at her and can give Forrest Gump a run for his money (Rocky doesn’t stand a chance, but we’re somewhat reminded of his classic jog through Philly here). The spot, dubbed “Some Time Together,” promotes Nike’s Lunarglide + 3Shield line and will be complemented by weekly “Never Stop Running” challenges on Facebook and other social media channels. Credits after the jump.

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The Copa América is a soccer tournament that pits 10 South American national teams against each other for bragging rights and glory. As it’s one of the most watched sporting events in the world, W+K Amsterdam and AKQA London are teaming up to give us their own spin on the event, renaming it “Copa Barrio.” “Write the Future” this is not, but it still finds a way to capture that frenetic national pride that makes these games so exciting to watch. “Barrio” in this instance is used to say that these games represent regional culture, comparing an entire country to a neighborhood where one grew up.

On Nike Football’s Facebook page, fans can select their own barrios and create their own team mottos and posters for matches. As for the spots, if “Write the Future” was a sci-fi comedy/drama, then Copa Bario is a collection of short cultural documentaries. These ads are visually engaging short films, and that’s what makes them stand out. That kickass logo isn’t bad either. Check out second clip and credits after jump…

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It looks like Kobe Bryant‘s getting the all-star treatment when it comes to hyping his Nike Zoom Kobe VI shoe. Now that R/GA’s supplied the Twitter-based component for the Black Mamba campaign, W+K is rolling out teasers for a “Black Mamba” film, directed by Robert Rodriguez (who also plays sound designer here),  that’s set to debut in the U.S. and China during NBA All-Star weekend in February.

The Rodriguez imprint is all over the teasers, which seem inspired by the filmmaker’s recent flick, Machete, what with the overdramatic VO, action, explosions and fonts.  Hell, they even star Machete himself, Danny Trejo, along with Bruce Willis and Kanye West for some reason. While we draw comparisons to Dwyane Wade’s nightmarish Nike spot from early last year, check out the initial Mamba trailer, credits and rather awesome promo poster after the jump.

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With the Miami Heat set to tip off the NBA season tonight against the Boston Celtics, it’s rather timely that W+K Portland unveils this Nike spot called “Rise” starring Heat forward and two-time reigning MVP LeBron James. Following his less-than-well-received ESPN special, “The Decision,” where James announced he was taking his talents to South Beach, the backlash that ensued was virtually unparalleled.

So, in this spot, James simply asks the viewer, “What should I do?” While not even close to being as creepy as Tiger Woods’ pre-Masters Nike spot, this LeBron clip (directed by Stacy Wall) seems to beg for the audience’s sympathy just as much. Still, it’s not half-bad and way more entertaining than Tiger’s entry, what with its nod to “The Decision,” a shout-out to noted LeBron critic Charles Barkley and even a cameo appearance by Don Johnson. Will it rehabilitate LeBron’s image at all in the eyes of those who loathe him, though? We doubt it. Credits after the jump.

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