Nike Sails With Nautical Themes for Brazilian Soccer Club

Vasco da Gama deepens ties with its fans

In its first year sponsoring legendary Brazilian soccer club Vasco da Gama, Nike has partnered with AKQA in São Paulo to celebrate the team’s nautical heritage and share that legacy with Vasco’s supporters. 

“Born From the Wind” uses the metaphor of a ship’s sail, and the narrative incorporates the “Cruzmaltino” chants of its fanbase that “push and move Vasco forward.”

The club’s kit serves as the physical expression of this connection, as seen in the film below.

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The initiative echoes the team’s historic ties to the sea and navigation, as the club was founded by a group of rowers inspired by the 400th anniversary of Vasco da Gama’s voyage to India. The team plays its home games in a Rio de Janeiro neighborhood named for the Portuguese explorer.

“The new kit draws from this heritage, using the sail as a symbol of courage and movement,” says AKQA Casa creative director Marcos Lee. “Just as a boat depends on the wind to navigate through uncertainty, Vasco depends on the strength of its supporters to keep moving forward.”

Launched during the championship games, Lee says it is a moment when the team needs even more support on the pitch, while giving fans a special reason to rally behind the club.

Lee perceives this as a cultural moment. The club’s supporters had been waiting for a major partnership like this for some time, he explains. Nike’s arrival was widely celebrated by fans and supporters, creating anticipation around what the partnership could represent.

“The campaign is ultimately about the force that has always pushed Vasco forward: its supporters,” says Lee. “By connecting the club’s nautical heritage with the energy of its fans, the kit gives that relationship a new and tangible expression.”

“Born From the Wind” runs through year’s end.

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