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Deutsche Grammophon’s Pianist Phenomenon Yundi Li Featured in New Nike Campaign

Releases his ‘Inner Armstrong’ and Finds He is Faster than He Thinks

Nike has launched a new television advertisement which premiered during the opening ceremonies of the 2004 Olympic Games. The ad features famed Chinese pianist Yundi Li and six-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong.  Titled “Piano,” the message of the new spot, the first for Nike to include a classical musician, is “You’re faster than you think,” which encourages people of all ages to reach for their own potential.

The spot begins in downtown Beijing, China where a concert is about to begin.  Orchestra members nervously check their watches, as their star soloist has not yet arrived.  Yundi Li has overslept and realizes that he is extremely late for the concert. 

As he frantically changes his clothes and leaves the building, Li hops on his bike and instantly transforms into Lance Armstrong.  He races through the city with tremendous speed and agility as he realizes he is faster than he thinks. Li arrives on time to the concert.

Not only a child prodigy but now also a prominent artist, Yundi Li’s ability to reach out to his audience has won him CD bestsellers, sold-out recitals and awards from the most prestigious piano competitions in the world. Li has been hailed as “spectacularly gifted,” (New York Times), and his playing as “remarkable” (Boston Herald).  The Washington Post raved, “He does not need to strive for brilliance or individuality: He starts to play and those qualities are simply there.”

An exclusive artist with Deutsche Grammophon, Yundi Li’s Liszt recital CD has captivated fans and critics alike (the New York Times selected it as among the “Best of the Year 2003”). Street date for Yundi Li’s new album of Chopin: 4 Scherzi, Impromptus nos.1-3 is September 20.

To view the Yundi Li NIKE TV ad go to http://www.nike.com/speed/index.jsp?l=en_us&ls=0. Click on “02 Fuel”. When this new page has loaded, click again on TV Spots and then on “Piano 60s”. The video is encoded in Quicktime.