adidas originals: Superstar

adidas Originals as they challenge the definition of fame and superstardom. The images posted at major centers of the world's entertainment industry like Times Square and Madison Square Garden show stoic portraits of superstars like Pharrell Williams, David Beckham, Rita Ora, and Damian Lillard, with their faces blocked and the word "superstar" boldly crossed out. Why?
For decades Times Square advertising has been the pinnacle of big name celebrity brand promotion, but this year the location and the stars are being used to give a very different, more defiant message – to challenge what it means to be a superstar in today’s world. Johannes Leonardo New York created a powerful central symbol of the challenge – the universally recognized adidas three stripes to boldly cross out the word superstar. The symbol was then placed directly over portraits of some of the world’s most recognizable entertainers and sports stars. The impactful black and white portraits photographed by Josh Olins have been shot in a way to reveal the rarely seen and unexpected side of the original superstars. Very minimal styling and retouching speak to the true meaning of the campaign: The subjects stare directly into the lens giving the viewer the feeling that these celebrities are making this statement directly to the viewer, challenging them and making them question their own perception of superstar.