Adidas x Pharrell Premium Basics 2022 Ad Campaign

Review of Adidas x Pharrell Humanrace ‘Winter Premium Basics Collection’ 2022 Ad Campaign by Creative Director Jonny Lu with Photographer Grace Ahlbom

Adidas and Pharrell’s wellness brand Humanrace continue their ongoing partnership with a new campaign in celebration of premium basics, which features creative direction by Jonny Lu and photography by Grace Ahlbom. However, like the collection itself, the simplistic campaign feels like a missed opportunity.

The collection seems to rely on name-recognition more than any true sense of individuality or thoughtfulness in design. A jaunt over to the Adidas website sees the collaboration touted as “an extension of Pharrell’s vision to connect people with love, passion and energy as a celebration of humanity.” But does the collection communicate this? Does making the same Adidas sweatshirt more expensive because of the name on it foster inclusivity and love?

Sure, everybody loves a well-constructed hoodie or pair of sweats, but we don’t feel or need to feel convinced that chilling in sweatpants at home is part of a visionary celebration of humanity.

Like the idea-less and innovation-less pieces themselves, the campaign feels a bit forgettable. With such simple and colorful staple pieces that could be taken as a blank canvas, the campaign had a strong opportunity to do something creative and memorable, to uplift the pieces themselves and fill their potential space with a message we can see and feel.

This opportunity seems to have been missed. While the crisp simplicity of the imagery is strong, there’s nothing to set it apart from the hordes of other “elevated basics” brands, no matter whose name is faintly embroidered on the sweatpants.