Swift Agency x adidas Project Harden

How do you build hype among teens for three months for James Harden’s first signature shoe without ever showing it? The answer is Project Harden for adidas - a campaign cut from the same cloth as the NBA’s most enigmatic and unpredictable player.

Our strategy was built on key insights from primary research conducted on Gen Z social media habits. We used the native functionality of Instagram in new ways and developed an unconventional approach to tease the story of Harden Vol. 1 in 14 distinct chapters.

@ProjectHarden unfolded exclusively on Instagram and grew an audience of 28K engaged followers, building an unofficial James Harden fan club that will play a significant role in future adidas campaigns.