Global Creativity Highlights: Nike Ape Force, Pit Diapers and Sonic

And we are back. It's a new year and a new set of delightfully interesting, unique, and downright weird pieces of work, Magpied from the four corners of the creative industries and beyond.

For any new readers, this semi-regular collection from Hope&Glory is our curated glimpse into the most captivating work from around the globe.

Think of it as a mental appetiser featuring a hand-picked set of hors d'oeuvres of the most delicious morsels from the last few months, ranging across projects that have sparked conversations and filled the minds and social feeds of the team.

Sticking with the culinary theme (why not?), this time around, we've got a diverse three-course menu, serving up a medley of surprising combinations and retro classics to whet your creative appetite.

You might recognise some, while others will be fresh and new. But we hope they all ignite your imagination and fuel our shared fascination with the world's curated oddities.

So, without further ado, here are three picks for Creative Moment from Magpie: Issue 009. Flip through the whole issue at your leisure, waiting for you here.

Nike's 'Ape Force' campaign nostalgically taps into 80s toy ads

Maybe we're just getting old, but modern toy adverts feel so…boring.

So, to celebrate the release of its latest collaboration with streetwear icon Nigo, Nike took inspiration from the 80s and 90s heyday of toy advertising to create yet another stunning campaign video (following the giant mech anime-inspired content it made for the launch of Nigo's first shoe with the Beaverton brand).

Unlike the ultra-saturated, colourful cartoon visuals of the previous campaign, the latest assets have a more muted palette reflecting the earthy tones used on the latest version of the shoe. The content positions the Air Force 3 as the latest addition to the fictional 'Ape Force' action figure universe. It serves as a vehicle for the heroes, including the heroic Captain Borg, to escape the clutches of the dastardly Dennis and fight back against his villainous regime on the planet Simeyon (no, really).

Despite selling the brand years ago, Nigo will likely always be known for the streetwear behemoth A Bathing Ape, which took copious inspiration from the original Planet of the Apes series of movies. In a not-so-subtle nod to Nigo's previous baby, rather than the young human kids you'd expect to appear in an ad for a toy line, the campaign features an actor in ape prosthetics pulled straight out of those classic films.

While the shoes themselves feel underwhelming, Nike has once again managed to engineer some hype content that at least has us paying attention to a pair that's destined for the sales racks. We love the optimism of putting this much creativity behind an uninspiring product – take that approach next time your clients drop a duff brief on your lap. PR an advert? Sure!

Liquid Death solves the eternal mosh pit problem

The solution? Pit Diapers. 

Public toilets are scary. Like, genuinely terrifying.

We've got no doubt that everyone reading this has been scarred at least once by a partially flooded restroom covered in all sorts of questionable stains, where even the water coming out the tap feels like it's making your hands dirtier rather than cleaning them.

Like that one scene from Trainspotting, but real. Eurgh.

Liquid Death knows there's nothing scarier, even for burly, butch heavy metal lovers, so it's created potentially its most genius product yet: the pit diaper.

Perfect for anyone who wants to look like a metalhead baby, this pleather diaper has quilt-effect stitching with metal studs and dangling chain detail. It is designed to capture any "recycled Liquid Death" while neutralising unpleasant odours. Regardless of how hard you mosh, the pit diaper will prevent leakage, keeping you protected all night long thanks to its partnership with adult incontinence brand Depend.

This wasn't just a fun little promo video, either. Liquid Death released the pit diaper just before Christmas, and despite costing £81, they sold out within 24 hours.

Keep an eye out next time you're in the Underworld; you might get more thigh than you bargained for.

You'll need a 30-year-old console to experience this promo

A clever nostalgia marketing from Paramount accompanied Sonic's return to the big screen. Targeting those who grew up with the original Sonic the Hedgehog games on the Sega Mega Drive (or Genesis in North America) some thirty years ago, they released a special preview on a playable cartridge. Not just a facsimile, it was a fully functional cartridge designed to work on an actual Sega Mega Drive console.

Sent to key gaming publications and influencers, the cartridge, when they dug their Mega Drive's out of their archives, booted up with the iconic Sega launch screen, instantly transporting players back to the 16-bit era.

Instead of a playable level, however, the cartridge offered a unique preview experience. Players could browse through posters promoting the then-upcoming Sonic film and, more interestingly, listen to snippets of character dialogue from the movie.

This fun "demake" cleverly tapped into the nostalgia of parents who fondly remembered Sonic's heyday. It wasn't just a reminder of their past with the character, but a tangible connection to it.

Lead image credits: Nike Ape Force campaign, Liquid death campaign & Sega video.