Danny MacAskill: Do A Wheelie
Danny MacAskill joins friends old and new to celebrate THE most iconic bike trick
The challenge
Picture this. It’s July 2021. The world is slowly emerging from lockdown, and high up on everyone’s agenda is joy, both finding it and spreading it.
adidas Five Ten and long-time collaborator Danny MacAskill wanted to channel that energy into something that felt inclusive, playful, and unmistakably Danny. The brief? Celebrate the purest trick in biking—the wheelie—and bring people together around it.
But there was a twist: for the first time ever, Danny wanted to open the floor. Instead of riding solo, he invited the public to show off their own wheelie skills and audition to be part of the film. The challenge was on: how do you turn a global callout into a high-impact campaign while tapping into the human truths within the cycling community?
Bringing it to life
Hundreds of submissions later, we assembled our crack team of passionate wheelie enthusiasts, ready to ride alongside Danny.
Filming across Glasgow and scenic Scottish locations, we built a creative that celebrated every form of riding, with one thing in common: front wheels high in the air.
The centrepiece of the film? A never-been-done-before stunt: Danny landing the first-ever wheelie frontflip from a custom-built platform. A true showstopper.
To expand the campaign, we also created supporting content, including behind-the-scenes edits and educational videos that show fans how to wheelie like Danny. This culminated in a short documentary: Danny MacAskill’s Wheelie Project—a joyful celebration of biking’s most beloved trick.
The results
A five-minute hero film packed with good vibes and jaw-dropping skills
Quickly amassed over 1 million views on YouTube
A truly global cast of riders brought together around a shared love of riding
Supporting content that extended the campaign’s life and engaged Danny’s fans
A short-form documentary that celebrated the culture, creativity, and fun behind the scenes
A project built on positivity, skill, and community
And no, no front tyres were harmed in the making of this project.
