No Mercy No Malice
Hey Nike: Just Stop It.
The battle to say something without saying anything has been fierce
I feel stronger when I wear Nike products. The company is also likely the best advertiser in modern business history. I know many of the people who work there, across many levels of management and at their agency, Wieden+Kennedy. They are sincere about making the world a better place through athletics and competition. Yesterday, I interviewed Nike board member, and my old boss, Dean Emeritus Peter Henry. The Portland firm’s most recent campaign was typical Nike, capturing the moment and unafraid to take risks. A twist on the iconic “Just Do It” campaign:
I believe this is a seminal moment in advertising. Simply put, brand-based social messaging has jumped the shark. After consulting to the CEO/CMO of every major athletic apparel shoe company in the world, my advice is to…
Just Stop It.
Systemic racism is a serious issue, but a 30-second spot during The Masked Singer doesn’t prove you are serious about systemic racism. From WWII until the ascent of Google, brands served as shorthand for a product’s promise and performance. Emotion injected into a mediocre product (American cars, light beer, cheap food) was the algorithm for creating hundreds of billions in…
