A brand reading
Nike.
Hero The Hero, in full voice.
Just Do It launched in 1988 with Walt Stack, an 80-year-old marathoner. The genius was the imperative form: Nike addressed the customer as a Hero capable of action, then disappeared so the action could happen. Decades later, the swoosh still trades on the same contract.
The reading.
Hero with an Outlaw counterweight, expressed.
- Character
- Hero
- Drive
- Mastery, growth, prowess, determination, command.
- Fear
- Weakness, failure, incompetence, inefficiency, incapability.
- Strategy
- Make a positive impact by solving hard problems and equipping people to overcome them.
- Counterweight
- Outlaw
- Opportunity
- Sport ran on Everyman and Ruler. The Hero lane sat open.
- Diagnostic
- Expressed
The Hero in full voice. Nike addresses the customer as someone capable of action, then gets out of the way so the action can happen. The Outlaw counterweight is the willingness to pick a fight in public.
Famous spot
Just Do It (launch), 1988