Seen It All: Nike launches new brand anthem with film directed by Spike Lee

Nike has been shaping the world of sport for 50 years, and to celebrate its half-centennial, it's been looking back on everything it has already achieved, as well as anticipating all the glory that's yet to come. On top of providing unprecedented access to the Department of Nike Archives during May, Nike has teamed up with Spike Lee to create a film that breaks down the brand's impact on sporting history.

Starring Spike Lee himself as Mars Blockmon - the character he played in the 1986 film She's Gotta Have It - Seen It All sees him play chess and rap against Zimmie, who, as it happens, is played by Indigo Hubbard-Salk from the Netflix series based on the same movie. It's a generational battle for who has witnessed the greatest moments in sporting history, but no matter which way you cut it, Nike is the real winner.

Featuring clips of a whole host of athletes, including Charles Barkley, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Naomi Osaka, to name but a few, Seen It All is a clever film-cum-advert for the Nike brand as a whole. It's not selling you a specific product. Instead, it's selling you the message that Nike has been there for top-performing athletes all along, and it's only just getting started.

Getting Spike Lee involved is a masterstroke in itself for Nike. The pair are no strangers to one another, having previously collaborated on adverts such as the It's Gotta Be The Shoes series featuring Michael Jordan. Mars Blackmon also appeared in these ads during the '80s and '90s, and his character was even well-known for wearing Air Jordans in She's Gotta Have It. So, of course, he brandishes a pair as the film draws to a close.

"Over the past 50 years, Nike has been a champion for athletes and sport and will remain true to that," says the brand in an accompanying blog post. "Nike's 50th anniversary isn't about looking back - it's about looking to the past for inspiration as the brand expands sport for a new generation.

"Timed with its 50th anniversary, Nike presents its latest global brand anthem, 'Seen It All,' celebrating the strength of Nike's past and the promise of its future."