1988 – Just Do It

Objectives of the Campaign:

Re-Brand

• In the late 1980s Nike faced rising competition from rivals, Reebok, as they took advantage of the aerobics & exercise craze at the time. Nike needed to re-brand to set them apart, therefore
• Broadened Nike’s identity as a brand in turn broadening its potential consumer base

Increase Market Share / Sales

• Especially when the Campaign was launched in 88′, Nike had rivals Reebok taking the sports market by storm. The strategy of the new slogan proved as a way to increase sales and keep its market share afloat, making it a primary objective.
• The Campaign allowed Nike to increase their share in NA ‘from 18 to 43 per cent between 1988 and 1998. (Campaign, 2015)

Brand Appeal / Loyalty:

• Nike saw an opening in the market as the 80s was leading people to wear sports shoes in everyday life, which eventually ‘led to the brand being worn as a fashion statement’ (Campaign, 2015). Nike’s secondary objective was to appeal to everyone through their new ads, becoming more than just a sports brand. The tagline was key in tying to link the disjointed themes of the ads together, under one unifying message, Just Do It.

SWOT Analysis in relation to commercial & cultural considerations:

Strengths:

• The strategies message was one of universal interpretation, resonating with a broad range of consumers, not excluding anyone whether that be gender, age or sexual orientation. Nike strategically used a highly cultural considerate slogan to position the future years of Nike.
• As with Nikes advertising in general, there early slogans such as Just Do It & There Is No Finish Line tap into an emotional connection. It isn’t just ‘here’s our shoe. BUY IT’, but more about inspiring the customer, not just telling them ‘here’s our new shoe, BUY IT!’

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Interview with Nike CEO, Phil Knight (Willigan, 1992) – ‘High-Performance Marketing’

• Commercially, the slogan was a success, having a memorable & impact message at heart, motivating people who have never been a consumer of Nike to suddenly become interested in the brand, its morals and exercise in general.

Weaknesses:

OVERUSED?

• Although culturally considerate, over the years the Just Do It slogan may have lowered in impact as it’s been consistently pushed through the brand, without much change, loosing its impact in motivation.

AMBIGUOUS?

• There is a level of ambiguity to the slogan. It is motivational, but could benefit from a tighter focus that people can relate to. However, tightening who the message speaks to would lower its cultural consideration, in turn loosing its universal power.

Audiences

Main Audience Group:

‘The average Nike customer is a sports enthusiast, interested in leading an active and healthy lifestyle’ (Start.io, 2022)

• Although this is true and Nike aim to target a wide demographic (with the Just Do It campaign for instance) there actual consumer, i.e. not the person inspired by their messaging, but the one who actual buys the product starts to fall into a smaller category due to rising prices for Nike products.
• ‘The average MSRP price of Nike shoes is $110.15’ (McLoughlin, 2021) – Therefore, Nike’s target audience tends to be from ‘the higher-income socio-economic group‘ (Start.io, 2022)

Focus shift towards younger adults with £££ in their pockets?

Although Nike is an age inclusive brand, they specifically target the 25-34 age range, with advertisement in modern times following this targeted range, appealing to 18+ year olds through relatable messages & celebrity appearances such as the 2018 Nike Ad ‘Nothing Beats A Londoner’, including UK artists popular among the younger generation such as, Skepta, Dave, Giggs, Kurupt FM. HOWEVER, Ads like this prove Nike has been able to change with the times and understand the market very well, leading to great responses from their target audience!

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Geographic Segmentation & SWOT:

To adapt to different cultures & weather trends, Nike successfully target their audience by Geographic Segmentation, paying attention on inclusivity, cultural considerations, and Ads specifically targeted to certain countries in some cases.

• Nike does this effectively through their Ads, promoting certain messages & products to where they will be received best (e.g. Nike wouldn’t advertise, let alone invest in selling winter jackets to a hot climate country such as India)

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AD EXAMPLES FROM NIKE THAT USE GEOGRAPHIC SEGMENTATION

Nike – Choose Go’ – USA Ad 2018, Released 1 Month after Nothing Beats A Londoner ad

• Although ad features Nike’s new VaporMax, the product isn’t the central message, just merely shown. The Ad revolved around the question as to what would happen if climate change got the better of our world and the Earth stopped spinning?
• Similar to Nothing Beats A Londoner the Ad involves many cameos such as Bill Nye and Kevin Hart & well-known athletes like Kobe Bryant.
• By using Geographic Segmentation Nike can successfully appeal to certain countries, where certain athletes & celebrities can help appeal to these consumers

SWOT Audience:

• Strengths: Although Nike’s products have become more and more expensive, they understand who their audience is and advertise to them effectively
• Weaknesses: They have sidelined a large segment of potential consumers by increasing their average product price. From a commercial side of things, this is far less inclusive. Although Nike to produce cheaper options, they lack the innovative quality.
• Opportunities: In recent years Nike have been making the move to net zero, becoming a more sustainable brand. By doing this they increase their brand appeal and widen their consumer base, as fashion is becoming more sustainable by the day

• Threats: Although Nike are now becoming more sustainable, appealing to a more ethically moral audience, the brand has unethical roots and could be argued that it is moving to Net Zero as a profit motivated plan. Nike originally started out as Blue Ribbon Sports making use of unethical labour practices in Asia.
• Nike’s past could make the brand seem false in their plans for the future, with records of their CEO, Phil Knight advocating the use of cheap labour