Following the recent outburst of protesters and activists on the journey to find equality, there appears the question what role does the world of fashion play within all of this. And Nike has a voice. It comes as no surprise that the leading sportswear brand wants to use their popularity in order to spread awareness that they too are fighting for rights of all people and that they do not condone the racist behaviour the world has shown. Nike has always shown their support and their brand message comes across loud and clear but their recent reply to the wrongful passing of George Floyd, it is hard to miss the emotions portrayed. Nike gave the statement “For once, don’t do it” which is a play on their famous phrase “Just do it.” following with a campaign video to get their message across in a visual way.
The equality campaigns that Nike launches every so often usually appear following a catchy slogan that brings their message across such as “the ball should bounce the same for everyone” which was encouraging people to bring the fairness that they see during sports into the real everyday world. Phrases such as this get people thinking, ‘should’ giving them that question of whether they agree and why the ball doesn’t already bounce for everyone. Now that person is curious and more than likely will delve deeper into Nike. Thus, creating a customer, or someone that could spread the information that they find.
Nike has a young customer base, not only this but diverse and across the globe. It is one of the largest sports brands in the world, so their main aim is to cater to all their consumers which means equality needs to be one of their number one priority. “They understand better than most that a brands position on cultural politics is shaping up as a decisive factor in driving loyalty.” (BOF editors, 2020) which Nike understands is true. If they share their voice in the correct way, they could create customer loyalty for years. The catchy phrases that they link with their campaigns stick within people’s minds, especially since their brand is aimed at the younger generation who are ultimately more influenced by the media than others. The younger generation are also set out to create a better future for themselves and abolishing racism is one of the main equations in creating a world of equality. And by using media platforms they could potentially be reaching people that do not know about Nike, sparking interest with their views and creating new customers if people agree with what they are putting across. Especially on such a fresh and controversial topic.
Media has been a powerhouse for politics, views and marketing for the past recent years because of the amount of coverage that is gets on every inch of social media such as Instagram and youtube there is an influencer or celebrity willing to use their own platform in order to reach the same audience, So Nike partnering with or getting shared by these big names creates potential for even more views on this particular world problem. Especially since it is such a wide platform and experiences racism itself, using the social media also connects to people around the world, giving Nike even more publicity through the young people that find themselves in the world of social media.
By standing up to racism, which gives people the impression that Nike cares about more than just making money and popularity, improves the brand image because not every brand is willing to put themselves out there in a political way, it is not a money-making scheme however it is a way that will get attention from the right audience to buy their products. “Nike standing up to racism will be remembered in years to come.” (Kiefner, 2020), Nike will be known as not only one of the most popular sports brands in the world but a brand that used their popularity to engage with and tackle real world problems, doing their part in hopes of ending racism. They aren’t afraid to speak up for the right cause which will stand out.
Nike continues to improve their brand image with each equality campaign that they release, and it doesn’t seem like they will be giving up any time soon. And this can only bring positive reviews for the brand as after all this time it is clear that this is more than just a money grabbing plan, but they care about the world that they live in and the people that live in it.
BOF editors (2020). On Racism, Fashion Must Do More Than Speak Up. [online] The Business of Fashion. Available at: https://www.businessoffashion.com/opinions/news-analysis/racism-fashion-systemic-change [Accessed 9 May 2021].
Graham, M. (2020). Nike releases “Don’t Do It” ad addressing racism in America. [online] CNBC. Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/30/nike-releases-dont-do-it-ad-addressing-racism-in-america.html.
Kiefer, B. (2020). Nike article. [online] Available at: https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/pick-week-nike-sends-powerful-message-support-racial-equality/1685121.
Nike News. (2018). Nike Uses Power of Sport to Stand Up for EQUALITY. [online] Available at: https://news.nike.com/news/equality.