Pharrell and adidas Tennis Bring Love to NYC with 'Don't Be Quiet Please' Campaign
Pharrell and adidas Tennis wants to reinvigorate the world through the power of love and positivity. QUIET PLEASE was an activation this past Saturday that saw the takeover of a tennis court in Harlem. adidas brought together some of its most talented tennis athletes and the local youth to celebrate frequent Three Stripes collaborator Pharrell Williams’ first performance tennis collection.
As most fans know, equality, community, and sportsmanship are core to everything Pharrell does, and the groovy, retro feel of the collection is a testament to his ability to elicit an emotional connection through art and design.
Pharrell, alongside adidas tennis athletes, kicked things off by delivering his QUIET PLEASE manifesto atop one of the ten custom-made umpire chairs that’ll eventually be placed all over Manhattan tomorrow when the US Open officially kicks off. He discussed his strong links to tennis and why it’s so important to not stay quiet. “I think every bit of positive energy counts, I just think the world is at a deficit for empathy and love,” Pharrell explained.
At the end of the day, however, it was really an event for the kids and Pharrell made that loud and clear. “There is a lot of people, a lot of companies, a lot of corporations, and even certain people who hold positions in government, who don’t understand that the children are the future. If you don’t take care of the children, you have no future.” It’s exactly why the event felt more like a block party designed for the dozens of local youth who attended to mingle and interact with tennis pros, some of whom never had an opportunity to play the sport until yesterday. There were workshops where kids participated in tennis drills by actual tennis coaches as well as meet-and-greets with the pros which they absolutely fawned over.
True to Pharrell’s philanthropic nature, he also announced that adidas will be partnering with the NYC Parks Department to help refurbish an aging tennis court as well as a tennis scholarship program sponsored by adidas in the Fall of 2017.
As the US Open kicks off on Monday, adidas’ QUIET PLEASE campaign will go city-wide using the aforementioned umpire chairs as the physical and metaphoric icon for change. Ten of these chairs will be strategically placed all over Manhattan at places that represent loudness, love, and expression. The chairs encourage the community to hop on and deliver some positivity and honesty to their fellow New Yorkers.
You’ll be able to find the chairs at the following locations on Monday, August 28 between 8am-7pm:
Flatiron (5 Ave & 23 St)
Astor Place (Astor Pl & Lafayette St)
Union Square (Broadway & 17 St)
Herald Square (Broadway & 34 St)
Christopher & Gay Street (West Village)
NY Public Library (5 Ave & 41 St))
Petrosino Square (Lafayette & Spring St)
Apollo Theater (W 125 St & Frederick Douglass Blvd)
Atlantic Terminal (Atlantic Ave & Hanson Pl)
Columbus Circle (Broadway & Central Park West
To top it all off, special guest performances at select chair locations will be made by a number of artists including Action Bronson, Desiigner, Young M.A., Th3 Saga, and much more. Swing by and get something off your chest, you might just get served with a bit of fun and self-reflection while you're at it.