Nike Ad With Overweight Boy Draws Praise and Scorn (VIDEO)
A new Nike advertisement has drawn both praise and scorn for showing an overweight middle school child running down a road under the heading "Find Your Greatness."
Nathan Sorrell, 12, from London, Ohio is 200 pounds and exemplifies the current obesity problem in America. The video has already gotten nearly 1 million views on YouTube and has hundreds of comment both praising and ridiculing both the boy and Nike for portraying obese children in such a way.
The 5'3" Sorrell was selected to be part of Nike's international Find Your Greatness campaign during the sports giant's latest Olympic-conscious push.
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Each ad features a person located in different cities around the world named London, after this year's Olympic host.
He was instructed to jog behind a Porsche outfitted with a boom and camera. On the second take, a problem arose. The lunch Sorrell had eaten about an hour before didn't stay down.
"I got sick in a ditch," Sorrell admitted to OCM News Service, adding that the director told him that "We'll try to work with you."
After Sorrell recovered he began jogging various distances along the road which he estimated was about 60-70 yards each take.
Sorrell lamented that "they were lenient with me."
Sorrell was compensated for his efforts, but the amount was undisclosed. He claimed that he and his mother, Monica, will now work together to help each other lose weight.
Nike has stated that if the pair is successful they will return for another taping to showcase the story.
"The idea behind 'Find Your Greatness' is to inspire and energize everyday athletes everywhere to celebrate their achievements, participate and enjoy the thrill of an athletic lifestyle," Ryan Greenwood, Nike's Head of Communications in the U.K. told the Daily Mail.
He added: "As our co-founder, Bill Bowerman said, 'If you have a body you're an athlete' and we think that's a really compelling insight for all athletes as we celebrate great sporting moments this summer."
