Nike Creates “Barrio Bonito” – The Pretty District

Hernando Gomez Looks At How Nike’s Brazilian Soccer Theme Was Applied To The Streets Of Buenos Aires.

In the run up to the World-Wide Germany 2006 soccer championship, the “Barrio de la Boca” district in Buenos Aireswas covered in soccer-art by Nike and BBDO Ad agency. The objective was to generate both a legacy and an authentic contribution to the life of the neighborhood.

In “Barrio Bonito” the spirit of the soccer of district and the art conjugate themselves; with the Nike contribution in terms of the “Joga Bonito” world campaign that world-wide is associated to the pretty game.

“By focusing on the technology, the entertainment and the interactive participation of the people, we made the “Barrio Bonito” district within a district. This district came real because of the joy and the commitment of the inhabitants of “La Boca”. The initiative exceeds the symbolic benefit of the brand and takes it to the point that the Government of the City has noted its tourist value. All this fills to us of much pride”, says Carlos Perez, President of BBDO Argentina.

“We have a global campaign that at it’s very heart is “Joga Bonito” – however this idea in our country generates emotions quite polarizing because it’s associated with the “Brazil soccer”. The challenge was to transfer it to our streets, ensuring local relevance. An idea that does not come in brief became real to make “Barrio Bonito”. An idea that required long working time with Nike as well as with the authorities of the City and the involved artists. “Barrio Bonito” is neither a commercial one, nor a graff, nor nothing similar. We worked with a new concept: the Artvertising”, indicated Nicolas Pimentel, Accounts Director of BBDO Argentina.

Throughout the Garibaldi street between the streets Lamadrid and Quinquela, to areas of “Caminito“, Nike created artvertising:

First interactive monument: an invitation to be part of the best goal in the history of international soccer: the goal by Maradona against England in México’s World Cup 1986 is demonstrated by six statues of players including Diego Maradona.
Tevez x Gasparini: The most iconic artist of the district of “La Boca”, Omar Gasparini, who has created sculptures to Maradona, Evita and Gardel, this time turned his hand to Carlos Tevez, hero of the district and the soccer team “Boca Juniors”.
Art with the Feet: two artists who used their feet in their work, Antonella Semaán and the Spanish Manuel Parreño, created murals that reflected the magic of soccer. The play of Carlos Tevez and Ronaldinho, also two artists of the feet, were painted on muralson Garibaldi Street.
Murals: The linen cloth is the wall, the brush the ball. This piece is called “Pelotazos”, Tevez, Agüero and Ronaldinho left to printings their pictures on murals in a new test of which they are able to do with the feet.
Photographic exhibition: Urko Suaya, Alexander Burset, Marks Lopez, Ricardo Alfieri, Martin Sigal and Fabian Laghi portrayed their personal conception of each one of the key values of the game for Nike including ability, joy, honor and equipment.