Chicago-based Someoddpilot is putting NBA big man Isaiah Stewart everywhere at once in a new campaign for Xero Shoes, using duplication to capture the Detroit forward’s relentless style of play.
The campaign, “Go Harder,” promotes Xero’s X1, a minimalist basketball shoe designed around the brand’s barefoot philosophy.
Stewart, a longtime fan of barefoot footwear, wore the X1 during games and training last season, giving Xero a very visible entry into a basketball category increasingly dominated by highly engineered, heavily cushioned shoes.
For the campaign, Someoddpilot turned Stewart’s intensity into the central visual idea. Rather than simply showing him moving around the court, the spot multiplies him.
Several versions of Stewart appear at once, battling, defending, and moving against each other inside an empty gym. The duplication becomes a metaphor for the way he plays: always moving, always around the ball and seemingly impossible to contain. Watch below:
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“We wanted the spot to feel really gritty, raw, and stripped down, just like a barefoot basketball shoe,” said Anton Jeludkov, Partner and Creative Director at Someoddpilot.
“It’s not about being the most flashy, it’s about mastering the essentials, conquering the fundamentals, being fully tapped into your instincts so you can truly be everywhere at once.”
And if Stewart needs an opponent capable of matching that intensity, apparently the solution is simple.
More Isaiah Stewart.
The approach also connects directly to the product.
Xero designed the X1 with a wide toe box, zero-drop construction, and a flexible sole to create a more natural feel and closer connection to the court. The lightweight design emphasizes movement, balance and responsiveness rather than bulk.
Xero has also introduced a limited-edition “Warrior Red” version of the X1 inspired by Stewart’s aggressive style and mentality.
The shoe includes Stewart’s signature on the left insole and his personal motto, “Never give up,” on the right. Someoddpilot keeps that mentality at the center of the film.
Instead of presenting toughness as brute force, “Go Harder” frames it as persistence – continuing to move, compete, and push through whatever is in front of you.
The campaign combines Stewart’s voice with fast, visceral imagery designed to keep viewers close to the floor and connected to the movement of the game.
It also gives Xero an interesting way into a sneaker category where brands often compete by adding more technology, more cushioning, and more structure.
Xero is essentially making the opposite argument. Strip some of that away. Get closer to the ground. And let the player do the work.
For Someoddpilot, that philosophy becomes a visual one too. No packed arena, giant spectacle, or elaborate basketball mythology surrounds Stewart.
Just an empty gym, a pair of shoes, and one very determined NBA player.
Well, technically, several of him.
CREDITS:
BRAND: Xero
AGENCY: Someoddpilot
