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Library/Campaign/Nike: The Switch
Grade B20 sourcesHIS-00316

Nike: The Switch

Campaign · 2016 · Notable

50Editable slideCertificate

Nike’s Ronaldo body-swap ad passed 65 million YouTube views.

Original · re-upload by Harsumit
Nike’s body-swap football film starring Cristiano Ronaldo, directed by Ringan Ledwidge.
Harsumit on YouTube
The Switch campaign key visuals by credited designer Christy Lee Zilka
Nike / Wieden+Kennedy / Christy Lee Zilka
THE SWITCH — TRAILER — NIKE
Pedro Izique on Vimeo
Ad of the Day: Cristiano Ronaldo Swaps Lives With a Kid in Nike's Epic Euro 2016 Film
Adweek
Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo switches bodies with kid in Euro 2016 Nike ad
Sports Illustrated
The 10 Most Watched Ads on YouTube in June
Adweek
THE SWITCH — NIKE
Pedro Izique on Vimeo
The 10 Most Watched Ads - Clube de Criação
Clube de Criação
Performances sportives, activations marketing... Pourquoi Nike peut se proclamer vainqueur de l'UEFA Euro 2016 - Sport Buzz Business
Sport Buzz Business
The 10 Most Watched Ads on YouTube in 2016
Media Marketing (Adweek/Google leaderboard)

Spread Score

How it works
Reach70Contagion45Breadth40Velocity65Longevity1550

Numbers

YouTube seed only; derivatives uncounted (latest press figure)
65M
As of Jun 14, 2017 · YouTube · The Drum
Peak date
Jun 2016
Jun 9 ’16 to Jun 2016
Platforms
5
Started on YouTube
Origin
Mixed
Sports

Mechanics

  • Mystery & lore
  • Platform jump
  • Press loop
  • PairingPrimary
  • Newsjacking

How it spread

Trace the origin

Nike released a body-swap film ahead of Euro 2016 and extended it with a Snapchat filter. Unruly ranked it the tournament’s most shared ad. YouTube placed it fourth among 2016’s general trending videos; a year later, press reported over 65 million views.

Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.

Google searchesMay ’16JunJulAugOctDecFeb ’17AprJunJulPeakPressYouTubeOpen webSnapchatTV
PressYouTubeOpen webSnapchatTV

12 more events on this chart

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Timeline (15)

  1. June 2016

    Studiofútbol precursor · Jun 8 ’16

    Studiofútbol reported that Ronaldo had posted a promo showing the body swap.[1]

    Nike’s body-swap football film starring Cristiano Ronaldo, directed by Ringan Ledwidge.
    Open the first post ↗

  2. Nike Football seed · Jun 9 ’16

    Nike released The Switch, a film in which Ronaldo and an English teenager exchanged bodies.[2][3][4][5]

    Ad of the Day: Cristiano Ronaldo Swaps Lives With a Kid in Nike's Epic Euro 2016 Film

  3. Sports Illustrated / Adweek press · Jun 9 ’16

    Sports Illustrated embedded the film, while Adweek named it Ad of the Day.[2][3]

    Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo switches bodies with kid in Euro 2016 Nike ad
Changelogupdated Oct 12 ’26
  1. 2026-10-12Added: 15 events, 20 sources · Score 52
Origin
Mixed
Sector
Sports
Region
Global
YouTube seed only; derivatives uncounted (latest press figure)
65M
As of Jun 14, 2017 · YouTube · The Drum
Evidence
Grade B

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New cases, every week

How the next thing spread, the week it does.

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Google searchesMay ’16JunJulAugOctDecFeb ’17AprJunJulPeakPressYouTubeOpen webSnapchatTV
PressYouTubeOpen webSnapchatTV

12 more events on this chart

Join free to see them

  1. June 2016

    Studiofútbol precursor · Jun 8 ’16

    Studiofútbol reported that Ronaldo had posted a promo showing the body swap.[1]

    Nike’s body-swap football film starring Cristiano Ronaldo, directed by Ringan Ledwidge.
    Open the first post ↗

  2. Nike Football seed · Jun 9 ’16

    Nike released The Switch, a film in which Ronaldo and an English teenager exchanged bodies.[2][3][4][5]

    Ad of the Day: Cristiano Ronaldo Swaps Lives With a Kid in Nike's Epic Euro 2016 Film

  3. Sports Illustrated / Adweek press · Jun 9 ’16

    Sports Illustrated embedded the film, while Adweek named it Ad of the Day.[2][3]

    Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo switches bodies with kid in Euro 2016 Nike ad

  1. platform jump · Jun 9 ’16

  2. owner response · Jun 10 ’16

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Why it worked

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