Nike, with a global revenue of $51.36 billion and a current brand value of $71.6 billion, is a leading athleisure company today.
But do you know that the brand’s marketing campaign, including the famous Nike slogan “Just Do It”, played a big part in its success?
The story is pretty exciting. To achieve a robust brand identity, Nike adopted a commitment and consistency strategy, reflected in its campaign slogan, “Just Do It.”
Now, the Nike slogan, “Just do it”, may sound like any other motivational quote, but history reveals something even darker. Let us delve into the origins to understand the deep meaning of the slogan that transformed the marketing campaign of the athleisure brand.
Real Story Behind Nike Slogan – “Just Do It”
The slogan, ‘Just Do It’ was created in 1988 by Nike’s advertising agency, Wieden+Kennedy. Interestingly, Nike, now well known for its strong brand identity, was struggling to establish the same at that time. Its fierce and powerful rival, Reebok, was posing stiff competition to Nike in a shared niche market. The athleisure brand was said to be losing its ground, resulting in a loss of sales. The advertising agency of Nike decided that it was time to make a difference with a powerful and captivating catchline that would help the brand stand out.
You’ll be surprised to know that the popular Nike slogan that changed the face of its marketing campaign forever has a deep and dark history.
Dark History of the Nike Slogan – Just Do It
Since the beginning of time, brands have been motivated to derive their marketing slogans from various, even queer sources. And Nike too isn’t an exception.
The co-founder of Nike’s advertising agency, Wieden+Kennedy, Dan Wieden found the inspiration for a powerful brand tagline from the last words of a convicted murderer before his execution.
Oh yes! Shocking, right?
Gary Gilmore was an American criminal executed for his notorious crimes and two consecutive murders in Utah State Prison in 1977. His case became further interesting because of his demand to get executed quickly without appeal or commutation. His execution before a firing squad gained national interest, as it was the first death after the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. Before dying, his last words were, “Let’s do it.”
The Nike slogan “Just Do It” was thus inspired by the last words of a criminal, a murderer to be precise. Wieden modified the phrase a little to prevent the negative impression of being inspired by an executed criminal.
However, these mere words had a great impact on the brand, skyrocketing its sales after its implementation. “Just do it” led to an unbelievable growth in Nike sales from 18% to 43% in 1988.
The idea of launching the campaign began through a TV commercial, where an 80-year-old man was seen running in Nike shoes. Specifically, this man inspired the youth with his fitness mantra and ability to run 17 miles every morning. Further, the background played, ‘Just Do It’, encouraging everyone to bring out their best. The tagline spurred engagement and made the commercial a definitive success.
Hidden Meaning Behind Nike Slogan – “Just Do It”
The conviction behind the last words of Gary Gilmore was powerful. Improvising it into a marketing slogan made the brand message clear. The meaning behind “Just Do It” was simple. Irrespective of the condition, background, situation, or current phase in life, Nike urged its customers to overcome all obstacles and chase their respective goals.
The Impact of “Just Do It” Nike Slogan
Nike was a sinking ship in the 1980s. Its sales were dipping, as it developed products only for running, while competitors already ventured into aerobics and other non-athletic products. By 1987, the company suffered a $200 million loss in sales, leading to the layoff of about 280 people.
Despite the bad times, the brand continued to identify loopholes in its approach and realized that it was only focussing on developing a “magic” product that would surge sales. It was then that Nike decided to create a powerful marketing strategy that would impact the minds of its audience and establish a personal connection.
When marketing executive Dan Wieden proposed the “Just Do It” campaign to the team, most were skeptical, owing to the dark origin of the phrase. However, Wieden managed to convince them and launched one of the biggest campaigns in the history of the brand’s journey.
And the results were fantastic!
The brand witnessed a massive growth in global sales, from $877 million to $9.2 billion, in the following decade (1988-1998). With $300 million spent on overseas marketing, the “Just Do It” campaign, the brand increased its market share of the US domestic sports shoe business from 18% to 43%.
So, how did it happen? What was so special about the slogan that the customers related to?
- Fitness Marketing Made Personal and Relatable
Wieden realized that to reach deep within the minds of the masses, he needed to understand the audience at both sociological and personal levels. The phrase “Just Do It” resonated deeply with each target audience, encouraging them to connect to the brand that motivated their respective journeys. Thus Wieden established one of the fundamental marketing principles- Identifying customers’ pain points and acting to resolve them.
The Nike slogan, “Just Do It”, encouraged its customers to take on a fitness approach and fulfill their health objectives. In return, the customers became loyal spokespeople of the brand that gave them the “Wake Up” call. The fitness movement among non-athletes was getting popular at that time. Nike, with its powerful brand message, provided the much-needed motivation.
- Bridging The Gap Between Athletes and Non-Athletes
The Nike marketing slogan, “Just Do It” bridged the gap between sportspeople and non-athletic fitness enthusiasts. It blurred the lines of differentiation, making goal-fulfillment the primary cause. While the brand’s core customers were still professional athletes, “Just Do It” called out to everyone, who strived to get up from the couch and hit their fitness regime.
According to Davide Grasso, Nike’s former CMO, “Just Do It” was no longer a marketing slogan but the brand’s mission that aimed to speak to their customers and encourage them to rise and achieve their goals, whatever those might be.
- Transformed The Brand into a Lifestyle
Nike became a lifestyle inspiration for fitness enthusiasts all over the globe, thanks to its impactful slogan – Just Do It. It became a brand that sells “dreams” and not just “shoes”. Customers were drawn to the “Nike way of life” and not just its products.
The “Just Do It” campaign transformed the intent of the brand’s marketing campaign from product advertising to image building. And that’s how they captured the minds of their audience faster. As a result, the craze was not about shoes anymore but about wearing the Nike “lifestyle” and becoming a part of the brand’s mission – chasing dreams.
Other Nike Slogans and Their Impact
Since 1988, Nike always maintained its position as an iconic brand due to its unique marketing campaigns and memorable slogans. Its marketing slogans were not some mere taglines, but sources of lifestyle inspiration for its customers.
Let’s discuss some other powerful Nike slogans that inspired its customer base of millions.
“Here I Am” – The 2008 Nike Slogan
The Nike “Here I Am” campaign targeted European University women and aligned with Nike’s core values, i.e., to inspire and encourage. It strived to deliver the message to university-aged women that sports is not only about fitness and competition. It’s also about building self-esteem, and gaining the confidence to say – “Here I Am”.
In a commercial of the campaign, Nike revealed the journey of Maria Sharapova, the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Player, as she grew up from self-doubting to going professional. The advertisement ended with the animated Sharapova morphing into the real Sharapova, thus being the “I” in the “Here I Am”. Nike’s advertising agency wanted the slogan to resonate with normal women, who wanted to pursue athletics but couldn’t gain the courage to take that first step.
“Write The Future” – Nike Marketing Campaign in 2010
Nike’s “Write the Future” campaign aimed to celebrate iconic moments in Football and also connect fans with their Football heroes across the globe. The 3-minute ad film featured all-time favorites, like Christiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Franck Ribery, and Theo Walcott to Patrice Evra, Landon Donovan, Ronaldinho, Tim Howard, and many more. Guest cameos were made by Tennis superstar, Rodger Federer, and Basketball champ, Kobe Bryant.
The commercial was directed by none other than Hollywood director & producer, Alejandro G. Iñarritu. Iconic moments of the game, like goal-line clearances, some power-packed tackles, and crazy footwork were featured in the ad, making football lovers go bonkers. Nike didn’t leave any stone unturned to make this campaign a massive hit.
And it was, indeed!
Nike’s “Write the Future” campaign brought it 50 million views online and 4.8 million followers (from 1.1 million) on Facebook. It also became the most-shared brand online that year.
“Find Your Greatness” – Nike Slogan 2012
Unlike other sporting advertisements, Nike’s “Find Your Greatness” campaign in 2012, emphasized personal achievements and growth, thus connecting to the audience on a humane level. For a change, the campaign moved away from shiny awards and the glitz and glamor of the celebrity world to focus on common people striving to achieve their goals. The slogan, “Find Your Greatness” was thus about the commoners, who dream to succeed in their respective journeys. The word “Greatness” here doesn’t symbolize awards or trophies but the individual goals that every person has no matter how big or small.
The campaign, coupled with the Nike slogan “Find Your Greatness” was launched at the time of the 2012 London Olympics. The backstory was Nike lost the Olympics bid to Adidas, its rival, which was quite heartbreaking. However, the campaign helped mend the sorrow, as Nike saw a huge increase in sales, online popularity, and brand virality during that time.
Coming back to “Just Do It”, the 1988 Nike slogan established that the brand is for all – fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and everyday people. Owing to its high popularity, it was translated into multiple languages in the following decades. Not just that! The American Foundation for The Blind (AFB) gave Nike the 1995 Access Award for creating ad posters in Braille.
#JustBurnIt Controversy and Its Effect on Nike
Controversial marketing is a smart tactic to spark debates and provoke strong emotions (even if negative) inside the minds of a specific group of people to create “buzz” and increase virality. Nike too got engaged in one such controversy in 2018, which started the trend #JustBurnIt (a twisted version of the Nike Slogan) on social media.
Even the brand’s stock price was hit for a short time, making other brands cautious about such marketing gimmicks, realizing that they should never try something like this.
So, what happened?
Well, in 2018, the brand partnered with some popular athletes, like Colin Kaepernick, the star footballer. He was linked to some political controversies surrounding the rights of the “colored people”. Not many are aware of the fact that the partnership was a calculated move by none other than Wieden’s agency to spark some debates and controversies deliberately.
The results were as predicted. Although the #JustBurnIt move became quite popular in certain groups with people burning their Nike shoes, the brand boosted a 31% surge in online sales after the campaign. It also gained over 170,000 followers on its Instagram handle, a direct consequence of the controversial marketing.
So “Just Burn It” did affect the brand but only in profits.
What to Learn from Nike’s Slogans and Marketing Strategies
Nike’s marketing strategy revolves around three definite principles – Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity.
Besides professional athletes, Nike’s diverse target audience includes fitness enthusiasts, sports lovers, women, young athletes and a wide group of goal-oriented people from all walks of life. It is this universal approach of the brand that helps it overcome challenges by eminent rivals, like Reebok and Adidas. With advertising and creating impactful slogans at the heart of its marketing strategy, Nike has evolved to be a successful sportswear brand to this date.
So what all can we learn from Nike’s slogans, logos, and marketing strategies over the six decades of its existence?
- Powerful Storytelling – Nike’s slogans always convey some kind of story to its target audience. Be it the first impactful “Just Do It” or the “Find Your Greatness” campaign, Nike’s slogans always come with a back story that resonates with its current and potential customers. The slogans are simple yet powerful, devoid of jargon and connect immediately. Be it encouraging the commoners to chase their dreams through “Just Do It”, or realizing their ultimate strength through “Find Your Greatness”, Nike has always kept its customers’ aspirations as a top priority.
- Emotional branding – Nike’s marketing slogans mostly focus on emotions instead of product descriptions. One can turn to the brand’s slogans always for lifestyle inspiration and general motivation. The tales of inspiration conveyed through the Nike slogans make its customers feel connected on a deeper level. Invoking success, strength, morale, and achievement is at the root of Nike’s marketing campaigns and slogans.
- Virality – Throughout its journey of 60 years, the brand knew the secrets of being in the news. Nike’s advertising agency always seems to know what news to catch on to and how to transform those into successful marketing campaigns. Its slogans are thus based on newsworthy stories, increasing their virality and popularity among the masses.
- Identifying the right audience – Nike has shown an impressive tendency to always know who its target audience is and how to influence them. Be it the sportspeople participating in the Olympics, or fitness enthusiasts from the non-athletic world, Nike just knows when and who to target with its impactful slogans. As a result, its marketing strategies, including all the famous Nike slogans are carefully curated and tailored according to the specific audience.
- Consistent Image – If you study all the Nike slogans carefully, you will notice a common pattern, consisting of goals, inspiration, and lifestyle motivation. The brand has carefully maintained this image through the decades to deliver a lasting impression. It also helped Nike’s target audience relate to the brand through all these years consistently.
Over to You
The Nike slogan “Yesterday you said tomorrow. JUST DO IT’’, brought positive changes in the entrepreneurial world, because of its understanding of the demands of the hour. The idea of ‘Just Do It’ established the brand as propagating some non-negotiable core values, like “to inspire, innovate, and be a support” to its customers. Every other Nike slogan has proved it, e.g., “Find Your Greatness’, and “Unleash Your Inner Athlete”.
Nike has established its position as not just a brand for athletes, but for every human who’s striving to achieve his/her goals, no matter what. The brand also cracked the anthem of connecting with people, understanding their needs, and reflecting those needs in its slogans.
All the Nike slogans and taglines contribute to the success story of the brand. Although “Just Do It” was the first in line, the latter ones too helped propel the brand towards the topmost position in the athleisure industry. With brand strategies, like having a clear vision, knowing your target audience, and powerful storytelling, Nike continues to excel in a global market.
As CEO Phil Knight aptly puts it, “Nike is a marketing-oriented company, and the product is our most important marketing tool.”