KARAN RAIKAR

Karan (definitely not to be confused with Karen) is a copywriter based in New York, currently at Johannes Leonardo.

SELECTED PROJECTS

adidas Originals — SS26, Superstar (2026)
adidas Originals — SS25, The Original (2025)
adidas Basketball — Anthony Edwards 1 (2024)
adidas Originals — SS24, A Thousand Back (2024)
Beats by Dre — King of the Court (2022)
Kaiser Permanente — Everyday Holds A Win (2022)
Beats by Dre — Fit to Move (2022)
adidas Basketball — The Drive, D.O.N. Issue #5 (2023)
Beats by Dre — Fatherhood (2022)
NBA — That’s Game (2021)
Beats by Dre — It’s The Music (2022)
Big 12 Conference — The Countdown (2023)
The Sahi Bol Project (2019)

HOW TO SAY THE NAME

KARAN kuh-RUN
RAIKAR riker (like the prison)

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Former professional cook.🔪
Not-so-speedy cyclist. 🚴🏽‍♂️
Bidet evangelist. 🚽
Immigrant son. 👶🏽
Boston born. 🇺🇸
Bombay raised. 🇮🇳
Brooklyn based.🗽

JOBS

JOHANNES LEONARDO — May 2023 - Present
Senior Copywriter

TRANSLATION LLC — Dec 2020 - May 2023
Copywriter

DEUTSCH LA — Oct 2020 - Dec 2020
Freelance Copywriter

EP+CO — Jun 2019 - Aug 2019
Copy Intern

LEO BURNETT — Jan 2017 - Jan 2018
Jr Copywriter

SELECTED CLIENTS

adidas Basketball
adidas Originals
Instagram
NBA
Beats by Dre
Kaiser Permanente
L’Oreal
Big 12 Conference

EMAIL
INSTAGRAM
LINKEDIN

ADIDAS ORIGINALS — SS26 SUPERSTAR

SS26 SUPERSTAR

AGENCY: Johannes Leonardo
DIRECTOR + PHOTOGRAPHER: Thibaut Grevet
DP: Joao De Botelho
EDITORS: Tom Hohle, Kao Cheng Kai
COLORIST: Dante Pasquinelli
VFX: Blacksmith
SD/MIX: Raphael Ajuelos
STYLISTS: Chloe + Chenelle
PROD. DESIGN: Miranda Lorenz
ECDs: Jeph Burton, Hunter Hampton
SR DESIGNER: Sarah Fitzgerald
SR AD: Kevin Lu
SR CW: Yours Truly

WHERE ARE MY FUCKING SUPERSTARS?!

SS26 marks the return of a timeless Icon for adidas Originals — Samuel L Jackson. But this time, he’s a man possessed, on a hunt.

Finding himself in the surreal halls of Hotel Superstar, our hero film sees Sam trying to track down his Superstars — his words ringing true not only to the shoes themselves, but also for a new cast of Icons who don them.

Icons, including Kendall Jenner, Lamine Yamal, James Harden, Olivia Dean, Baby Keem, Jennie Kim and Tyshawn Jones.

THE ROLLOUT

But before we dropped the hero film, we kicked SS26 off with an undeniable teaser to announce Sam’s back.

And this time, he’s got his eyes peeled .

TALENT FILMS

Hot on the heels of our hero film, we also followed up with a series of talent films.

Each a peek behind the doors of Hotel Superstar, bringing us face to face with each of our Icons.

CAMPAIGN STILLS

Captured by Thibaut Grevet.