WATCH | ‘You are the toughest athlete’ - epic new Nike advert celebrates mothers

Nike has dropped a new advert for their maternity wear and social media loves the brand for it.

The advert, featuring Serena Williams and her daughter Olympia and American athlete Nia Ali, among others, celebrates mothers as “the toughest athletes.”

It starts off by asking whether pregnant women can be athletes.

“What is an athlete? Someone who moves? Sounds like you. Someone who gets it done no matter what? You do that. Someone who listens to her body, also you. Someone who defies gravity? You.”

Nike came under scrutiny in May 2019 after sprinter Allyson Felix wrote in the New York Times about a fallout between her and the brand during contract renewal talks. She said the company offered to pay her 70% less than her previous pay when she became a mother. 

In August the same year, the publication reported that Nike expanded its policy to guarantee its athletes’ pay and bonuses were not cut for 18 months. Nike said the policy covered 12 months before it was updated in 2018.

Felix described the advert as beautiful and heartbreaking.

“This ad is beautiful and heartbreaking. It celebrates all the right things but seems to ignore the struggle it took to get to this point.” 

Here are some of the reactions: