When it comes to campaigns, Nike's objective has always been to take a statement on global issues (e.g., Black Lives Matter, equality, police brutality, etc.), which has virtually always resulted in an increase in sales. Nike's recent marketing efforts have been widely appreciated, with their advertisements frequently hailed as "empowering" and "a must-watch”. As always, they hold unique perspective in which they assist prominent figures and activists in spreading their message globally, which can ultimately result in changing perceptions and engaging those who are loyal to the brand. In this case, they used former NFL free agent Colin Kaepernick to feature as the face for this campaign.
The primary objective for this campaign was to make more people aware of the racial injustice that occurs within the sporting industry. While Nike's campaign appeared to have the potential to undermine the company's reputation, it actually worked in its favour in the short run. Just days after the advert debuted, the company's revenues surged by more than 25%, invalidating all critics (Youn, 2018). This was because supporters of Kaepernick and Nike's message banded together to buy more Nike merchandise. Unlike any other brand, Nike has a support system comprised of numerous public figures, such as Nick Cannon, who use their money and platform to purchase Nike gear to give to the homeless, hence increasing Nike sales and giving joy to those who received the products. Nike has a large market share, so it can reach a larger audience than other businesses when it comes to raising awareness of difficult issues.
Nike’s goal has always been to “bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world” (Nike, 2022). By them creating a campaign that solely focuses on the most discriminated groups within the sporting industry, they are openly transforming perceptions of those who may have had more opportunities, by giving the world a fully narrated short film by Colin Kaepernick. Even though this reached the audience Nike was hoping for, it did not transform all perceptions and instead started an online debate about whether Colin Kaepernick was a suitable figure for the Nike 30th anniversary campaign, some even going as far as burning Nike apparel. During Donald Trump's presidency, Bacon Jr (2016) reported that, "Trump and other Conservatives welcomed the 'Blue Lives Matter' movement," prompting a substantial group of Americans to boycott corporations such as Nike that did not promote racial equality. However, as the campaign started to gather a large audience, more celebrities got involved by showing their support for the brand by wearing Nike apparel to interviews and even red carpets. This is the kind of involvement Nike wanted to inspire by releasing this campaign to the world.
As a result of this campaign, there has been an increase in support for the Black Lives Matter movement and racial justice. Because of its scale and global impact, Nike can leverage political movements to raise awareness while simultaneously advertising their products. Few businesses have the same impact on their target population as Nike, which is why campaigns like these have been so successful in the past. The brand is really lucky to have the social capital and market share to employ such sensitive issues in their advertising, but the way Nike treats each campaign with compassion and understanding is one of the many reasons they have such a large influence on their audience. Many athletes from around the world admire Nike because of their direct ways of marketing and developing campaigns that support issues such as gender and racial inequality. Serena Williams, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James are all examples of this.
While other firms try to avoid controversy and enormous risks, Nike welcomes it, demonstrating their uniqueness as a brand in a market crowded with businesses just like theirs. Nike has been creating commercials just like this one since 1988 when they released their very first ‘Just Do it’ advert. These types of short films that advertise the brand and not just the product have shaped Nike into being a leader within the market sector.
Dream Crazy's objective, in my opinion, inspires a global audience because the campaign conveys itself in a massive way, allowing justice to be served inside the sporting sector.
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References
1. Macon, V. (2018) Jenifer Lewis arrives for the 70th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theatre. Available at: https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/09/jenifer-lewis-black-ish-emmys-nike-colin-kaepernick (Accessed: 20 November 2022).
2. Youn, S. (2018) 'Nike sales booming after Colin Kaepernick ad, invalidating critics', ABC News, 21 December. Available at: https://abcnews.go.com/Business/nike-sales-booming-kaepernick-ad-invalidating-critics/story?id=59957137 (Accessed: 18 November 2022).
3. Bacon Jr., Perry. (2016) 'Trump and other Conservatives Embrace 'Blue Lives Matter' Movement', NBC News, 23 July. Available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/trump-other-conservatives-embrace-blue-lives-matter-movement-n615156 (Accessed: 20 November 2022).
4. Nike (2022) About Nike. Available at: https://about.nike.com/en (Accessed: 20 November 2022).
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