WORK: One of the best Adidas ads for ages isn’t even from Adidas

This spec film for Adidas by students at Germany’s Film Academy of Baden-Württemberg has been gaining much attention online. The test spot tells the story of an elderly man at a nursing home who just wants to run (in his old Adidas trainers), but is prevented to by staff. But then, in scenes reminiscent to One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, he makes his escape.

In an interview with Adweek, director Eugen Merher says the film was originally made in two-and-a-half days in 2015 though has just been posted online. And Adidas had nothing to do with it, which, considering it’s the most emotional piece of work attached to the brand for some time, seems something of a shame. Of course much of its emotional power comes from its potentially controversial subject matter, which, while fine in a test spot, might well have trouble getting through the system in a real ad.