Nike Freestyle: Doernbecher Auction 2022
Dario
Nike helps run a fundraising auction event for Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. The hospital treats kids throughout the US and Canada, providing lifesaving medical care and research for kids.
Every year six kids are nominated to take part, and design their very own shoes and apparel that is auctioned off at the Doernbecher Nike Freestyle Auction in Portland, OR. The line is then sold in Nike stores worldwide.
A special thank you to Yesica Blomberg for having us on the project!
Enter Dario
At fourteen, Dario is a constant source of inspiration to his friends and family; not to mention a constant source of entertainment. His interests are far reaching. He likes plushies, animal hats, flamin’ hot Mountain Dew, oranges (fruit and color) and The Gorillaz, to name just a handful.
Atomic Orangez
We were approached by a small dedicated team at Nike to help out on this special program because Dario loves animation. With his own YouTube channel (Atomic Orangez), Dario makes amazing stick figure animations in his free time and was our director throughout the development of this animated short.
It was an absolute pleasure working with him and crafting this animation with his endless ideas!
Storyboards to Full Animation
The Shoe
We helped Dario design a custom graphic for the tongue, inspired by his love for oranges of all forms!
The brown furry material is a nod to one of his favorite plushies, Chewbacca.
Stick figures playing extreme dodgeball on the toe represent Dario’s passion for animation.
The play, like and volume button on the side is a related to Dario’s YouTube channel and his quest for achieving an award one day.
Siempre Fuerte
Always Strong
The Auction
The Toy
On the night of the auction, it’s always tradition to surprise the kids with some more swag. So we thought we’d create a custom vinyl toy of Dario in his newly designed Nike gear and present it to him on the night. Cool or what?!
