Nike makes Mavado shoe

“A one a di greatest feeling in di worl, it mad,” Mavado said when THE STAR spoke with him yesterday about his latest Nike endorsement.

International sportswear giant Nike has selected dancehall star Mavado to be part of the company’s latest consumer marketing campaign.

Nike recently commissioned Mavado to appear in an EPK (Electronic Promotional Kit) and to make an original track to support the Jamaican effort at the 2008 Olympics, starting August 8, in China. The company also made a limited number of sneakers to help promote the campaign.

When contacted, Nike representative, Omar Johnson, confirmed this but he was late in returning an official comment via email.

Mavado, however, told THE STAR that he really appreciates Nike’s move as it’s not the norm for the sportswear giant to endorse artistes.

“Nike neva gi no artiste no formal endorsement before, suh is a great achievement all ova, a history,” Mavado said.

While the project is part of a larger campaign that includes an original mix CD, iTunes and an Asafa Powell Reggae mix, Mavado’s track, titled Faster than a Bullet is the only original music produced for the project.

According to a release issued by Mavado’s management team, “The fast-paced beat, produced by Shane Brown, provides the perfect sound bed for Mavado’s patriotic lyrics.”

Mavado joins an illustrious list of music names that have collaborated with Nike, such as Nelly Furtado and Timberland.

Footage for the EPK was directed by Ras Kassa and will be turned into a virtual campaign via Nike’s own websites and a myriad of other websites and blogs. Two edits will be made, 30 seconds and five minutes and will include the fastest man on the planet, Asafa Powell, meeting his musical hero Mavado.

In terms of the sneakers, hundreds of fans worldwide will be disappointed, as they are not for sale.

Photographs of the Mavado Nike sneakers were leaked to the Internet by First-Magazine.net and according to Mavado’s manager, Julian Jones-Griffith, “It caused a frenzy. People started to bombard Nike, asking where they could get the shoes to buy, but they’re just for the promotion.”

He added, “Nike does not do endorsement deals with entertainment personalities, just athletes, so they will remain as coveted limited edition sneakers.”

Mavado says, “A jus four a dem (sneakers) alone mek inna di world, Asafa a get one, me, Shane Brown and Julian (his manager).”

Mavado says he therefore has much to give thanks for, even in the midst of his woes.

“Mi jus a wait fi overcome everything, ’cause di ting (visa) still nuh free up yet… mi a get whole heap a fight, but mi waan mi fans know mi nah lose focus an mi nah lose mi meds,” Mavado said.

The artiste added, “Mi jus mek a tune called It’s Raining ’cause it’s raining again, di blessing a pour.”

Source: JamaicaStar
Photo: First-Magazine