Lululemon and Droga5 Invoke Oscar Wilde to Redefine Wellness

Introducing Oscar Wilde, copywriter.

Lines from his tale “The Selfish Giant” punctuate “Feel,” an evocative and unusual brand film anchoring Droga5’s first global campaign for Lululemon.

His children’s story from 1888 presents a poetic allegory of faith and Christian love, telling of a giant who undergoes a spiritual transformation. That’s an odd thematic fit for a company that sells yoga pants and athletic apparel. And the two-minute video, “Being Well Is a Journey,” boasts a decidedly offbeat vibe, presenting a modern dude who transcends his daily desperation and dispiriting fitness routine after a metaphorical encounter with … a hummingbird?

“Feeling is everything—it sits at the intersection of your physical, mental and social wellbeing, and it’s at the heart of all we do and create,” says Lululemon brand head Nikki Neuburger. The campaign encapsulates the company’s desire to help consumers “feel their best in any moment, through the products we create and community connections we help build,” she says.

Anorak director Daniel Wolfe walks an artsy tightrope to weave a compelling narrative of rejoining the world and embracing one’s best self—salient themes in Covid times—from components that really shouldn’t mesh so well. To do so, the importance of being earnest, but not overly solemn, becomes paramount, and on that count the work succeeds.

Wolfe and Droga5 previously fused disparate elements in this acclaimed Hennessy spot saluting Maurice Ashley, the first black chess grandmaster. The Lululemon work feels like more of a stretch, however, and may prove polarizing. Even so, it’s a refreshing change from category conventions.

The approach also continues a trend of commercials based on legends and fairy stories, with Amazon Prime-obsessed Rapunzel and saucy Burberry centaur Adam Driver leading the way.

On a roll of late, Lululemon looks to expand beyond its core U.S. activewear base, targeting Gen Z and overseas markets such as China. Brand ambassadors such as Akin Akman, Manoj Dias, Deja Riley, Haley Langland and Joe Wicks will feature in the campaign, which also includes product-focused videos, print, OOH and retail activations.