Nike’s Advertising Approach In Its Campaign

Nike has always had a history of using messages within its advertisements to address controversial people, ideas, and topics. To do this, Nike uses an approach very similar to Norman B. Norman’s Empathy strategy. Nike’s advertising approach in its “Just Do It” campaign is very similar to the advertising approach used by Norman B. Norman. Norman’s advertising strategy is referred to as “Empathy” and consists of six main points: Put people in the sell; Excitingly different look and sound; Open the way through the heart not the head; Put in an important reason why; Living visuals people will talk about; Eliminate any non-preemptive selling proposition. (“Norman, Craig & Kummel.”) According to the New York Times, Norman once said, “We like to think of it as emotional advertising or emotional reason-why. We contend that advertising begins and ends with people.' (Wolfgang Saxon)

Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign that features Colin Kaepernick and the message: “Belief in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything,” uses all of Empathy’s six main points. Two of Empathy’s main points that are really well done by Nike in the “Just Do It” campaign are: Open the way through the heart and not the head and put in an important reason why. The Colin Kaepernick advertisement opens the way to the heart and not the head by calling attention to a subject that most people feel emotional about. People like Kaepernick have strong feelings about the reasoning behind kneeling during the national anthem. Others have strong feelings about how kneeling is disrespectful to our country regardless the reasons. The “Just Do It” campaign reaches people’s hearts because there is an important reason why they are putting this advertisement out in the world the way it is. Nike is obviously supporting Kaepernick’s stance on kneeling “in protest against racial inequality and police brutality.” (Business Insider) They are showing that they believe his actions and beliefs are a sacrifice that should be made.

Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign that features Colin Kaepernick is controversial because Kaepernick was the very first football player to kneel during the national anthem. (Jessica Tyler) The message, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything,” in Nike’s campaign, supports Kaepernick’s choice to take a knee. This is definitely not the first time Nike has used advertisements to voice their opinion on controversial topics. Nike voiced their opinion on gender issues, in 1995 with an advertisement about letting girls play sports. (Jessica Tyler) Nike was trying to get across that playing sports offers benefits for girls too. Before gay rights were more accepted like it is today, Nike featured an openly gay and HIV-positive runner in a “Just Do It” advertisement.

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Nike also featured black athletes in their “Equality” campaign to bring attention to equality in sports and the world in general. Nike has used and continues to use advertising strategies that are similar to what the historical figure Norman B. Norman used in advertisements he worked on. Nike uses these strategies to address people, ideas, and topics that are controversial and give their opinion on those people, ideas, and topics through advertisement messaging. Nike has also done this for years and more than likely will continue to do this to show what their company believes in, regardless of how controversial it is.

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