Nike : A Cultural Artifact

Nike : A Cultural Artifact

Marketing: The Slogan That Keeps on Giving

From the Beginning

Nike put out this commercial, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the 'Just Do It' campaign.

• Between 1988 and 1998, Nike spent $300 million on advertising.
• During that span, Nike increased its share of the athletic-shoe industry from 18% to 43%.
• It is estimated that 4/5 of the athletic shoes sold in that time span were not even used for physical activity. This must mean that the 'Just Do It' campaign is appealing to the competitive nature in more people than just athletes!

1974: The Waffle Trainer

• In 1988, Nike ran it's first ever 'Just Do It' commercial, featuring a man named Walt Stack.

• In 1976 Gary Gilmore was in

front of a firing squad after

being convicted of murder

when he spoke his last words

"let's do it"... 12 years later

Nike's advertising team added

"Just" and removed "let's",

creating the companies

slogan.

• In 1964 Philip Knight (a track runner at University of Oregon) and Bill Bowerman (Philip's coach) started a company called Blue Ribbon Sports

• BRS initially sold ASICS out of the back of their car, but eventually began producing their own track cleats.

• In 1971 Blue Ribbon Sports became Nike, and adopted the legendary "Swoosh" as its logo.

• In 1972 Bowerman poured

rubber onto his wife's waffle maker in an attempt to

create a light running shoes that had great traction

• Two years later the Nike Waffle Trainer was born.

• It quickly became the most popular training shoe in America, and is still a top seller to this day.

Who is Nike?

Other Notable Dates

• Nike is the Greek Goddess of Victory who was said to preside over battlefields and symbolize victorious encounters.
• The Swoosh was created to look like the Goddess Nike's wing
• It was drawn by Caroline Davidson who was paid $35 for her design, although she was later given stock worth around $640,000.

• 1978: John McEnroe is signed to an endorsement deal by Nike
• 1979: Nike patents it's "Air" technology which was gas filled chambers used for support.
• 1980: Nike goes public
• 1984: Nike signs Michael Jordan to an endorsement contract
• 1988: Fourth Grader, Tiffeny Speir suggests the use of "Just Do It" in advertisements. Needless to say, it caught on.
• 1996: Nike signs Tiger Woods to an endorsement contract
• 2000: Nike Shox is created
• 2002: Nike buys Hurley, and debuts their very first skateboard line

About Nike

Air Jordan: The Sneakerhead Revolution

• Nike is an American multinational corporation.

• Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon Nike has grown into one of the largest footwear and apparel companies in the world.

• Nike is known for its high quality athletic wear, its slogan "Just Do It" and the flashy uniforms it often supplies to its sponsored teams.

• Almost thirty years later, Jordan's keep getting more and more popular.

• Every year thousands of Jordan fans line up at the door of shoe stores to try to be lucky enough to get a pair of this years Air Jordan's

• Unfortunately, there have been numerous murders and violent attacks relate to the shoes.

• In 1984 Nike introduced the Air Jordan line of basketball shoes after signing Michael Jordan to an endorsement contract.
• Up to that point, basketball shoes had been all white, with very little color or variation. The Air Jordan line looked to invigorate a bland shoe industry and really stand out... and it did.
• In 1985, Commissioner Stern banned the Air Jordans because they didn't follow the dress code.
• Nike happily picked up the $5000 check that came at the end of every game that Michael played with his shoes. This amounted to a $410,000 bill.
• Luckily the publicity of the ban helped cause Air Jordan sales to skyrocket.

Nike has clearly become a cultural artifact. It's 'Just Do It' slogan has withstood the test of time and has gone down in history as one of the best slogans ever made. By continuously adapting to new cultural movements, Nike will remain a cultural artifact that people can use to express themselves.