The Symphony. This was the internal name for the site that would eventually become nikeair.com. And it describes the interactive experience perfectly. Type in the url and you’re greeted by two tough and beautiful athletic specimens. Sure, they’re cooler and stronger than you, but perhaps that’s what makes them so irresistible. With smooth video effects, they warm up to an otherworldly, slightly urban groove. They beckon you to join them—to “Run on Air” or “Ball on Air.” And join them you will.

Once you choose a sport, your athlete sets off through an urban neighborhood— a composite of still photography and video—and jogs ever-closer to your screen before flashing a knowing smile and landing in a jet-black environment. One simple phrase commands you to participate in a mysterious adventure: “Create More World. Use Your Keyboard.” From there, the true magic begins.

The Aha! Moment
A dramatic red sky. A flock of origami birds. Rays of light and floating leaves and puff flowers and scratches of graffiti and swirls of color and an elephant floating in a bubble—yes, an elephant. Site visitors unlock this symphony of surreal animations by choosing keys on their keyboards. “We wanted to create a sense of wonder,” says Michael Lebowitz, the CEO at Big Spaceship. But in an online world oversaturated with broadband content and total immersion websites, that’s no easy task. Pulling it off requires a just-right melding of cultural influences, bright ideas, creative disciplines, integrated branding and cutting-edge technology. And that’s precisely what Big Spaceship brought together for nikeair.com.