James Harden Vol 10 Global Adidas Shoe Campaign

Comprehensive Visual and Creative Execution by Nik Johnson

Project Overview

The James Harden Vol 10 campaign continued the evolution of Adidas Basketball’s signature line through a fully integrated visual system spanning photography, motion, and digital design. Led by Creative Director Allen Xie, the campaign focused on elevating the product’s sculptural form, technical innovation, and premium presence across global markets.

Building on previous volumes, Vol 10 expanded the visual world surrounding the shoe. The campaign required not only high-level product photography and animation, but also the development of a cohesive environmental language that could live across still imagery, motion assets, and retail executions.

For this iteration, the product photography covered multiple colorways and was supported by a custom-designed backplate environment that served as the visual foundation of the campaign. This unified backdrop allowed the shoe’s materiality and performance-driven design to stand out while maintaining a consistent global identity.

In parallel, the Premium 3D Film pushed the narrative further, blending dynamic lighting, texture detail, and cinematic pacing to communicate innovation and energy. The project concluded with the development of a comprehensive global marketing toolkit, ensuring consistency across digital platforms, retail spaces, and international campaigns.

Vol 10 marked a deeper integration between photography, 3D, and design systems — strengthening the campaign’s visual cohesion while continuing to elevate the Harden signature line.

Tech Video

A dynamic breakdown of the James Harden Vol 9 shoe, featuring Motion Design by Nik Johnson.

Original sound design, and musical arrangement by Laela Johnson.

Role & Responsibilities

Photography & Production Assistance

Supported lead photographer Kyle Huang during the product shoot, contributing to lighting setups, composition, and on-set execution. Assisted in capturing campaign imagery across multiple colorways, ensuring visual consistency and premium detail across the entire collection.

Original Backplate Development

Conceptualized and designed the custom backplate used throughout the product photography. Developed the environmental foundation that unified the campaign’s visual identity, ensuring the lighting, tone, and atmosphere complemented the shoe’s form and storytelling.

Post-Production Editing

Led final image editing and retouching across all selected product photography. Executed color correction, detail refinement, and visual enhancements to align with Adidas Basketball’s brand standards while maintaining cohesion across global deliverables.

3D Premium Film – Visual Direction & Finishing

Collaborated closely with 3D artist Jimmy Edwards on the Premium 3D Film, helping guide the visual direction and overall aesthetic language of the piece. Contributed to lighting and mood decisions, and completed the final edit and color grade to ensure seamless integration with the broader campaign visuals.

Tech Video Production:

Designed and animated a 2D technical breakdown film highlighting the sneaker’s innovation and performance features. Crafted the visual pacing and structure to clearly communicate product technology in an engaging, brand-forward way.

Sound Design & Musical Arrangement:
Executive produced the sound design and original musical arrangement for the Tech Video with Laela Johnson, ensuring the audio elements enhanced the storytelling and dynamic feel of the visual content.

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