When Being Gritty Works Out

I'm not one for athletic commercials, and a football, soccer, or running champion is not going to entice me to go drop $50-100 on a single piece of athletic gear. So it's rare that I even bother looking at ads or commercials.

Until now, thanks to Reebok, a company I haven't even thought of since high school. But, after years of decline and losing market share to Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, and others, Reebok is back and launching the "Be More Human" repositioning campaign.

While "Be More Human" sounds like a loaded challenge, the company is backing it up with some nitty, gritty ads and commercials.

And suddenly what seems like a regular athletic commercial becomes more. "We're doing it to be better...period. Better leaders. Better parents. Better, stronger, more determined humans, capable of anything." Cut to the commercial's stars who are a fireman, a parent, a warehouse (or meat locker) worker, and, most importantly, a swimmer who is otherwise wheelchair-bound.

Whoa. This just got real. Sure, most of us will never be in the same physical shape as these folks, but to tie our physical shape to an improvement in our everyday lives? Not only does "Be More Human" inspire, but it bypasses society's cries for fitness to be about looks, desire, and prestige.

Kudos, Reebok. My next pair of workout sneakers will probably be from you.