Nike’s new campaign unveils the promised land

Much of Nike's success as a brand has to do with its brand story. And as it turns 50, it's adding something new to the mix. Read this edition online Wednesday, 20 July, 2022 Narratives are the most powerful tools of our age. Each week, I deconstruct the dominant ones behind the success or failure of businesses, leaders and governments. Someone sent you this? Sign up here Good Morning Jigar,   Just do it.   I don't think there's many of you who don't know which company's tagline this is. Sports apparel brand Nike's identity is now so inextricably linked to its tagline that it is difficult to imagine one without the other.    And this year, Nike turns 50.    Here's an excerpt from a piece The New York Times published earlier this week: Nike, named for the Greek goddess of victory, has become not just the most valuable apparel brand in the world (worth more than twice as much as Adidas, its closest sportswear rival, and ahead of Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Chanel). It is part of the movies we watch, the songs we hear, the museums we frequent, the business we do; part of how we think about who we are and how we got to here. It is, said Robert Goldman, the co-author of "Nike Culture: The Sign of the Swoosh" and professor emeritus at Lewis & Clark College, "an emblem of individuality, in an age where individuality has become rampant" that also happens to be one that can be read by the masses. […] The only other brand to make the leap so effectively and completely from commodity to identity in the last half-century is Apple. How Nike Won the Cultural Marathon, The New York Times, The New York Times The success that Nike, the brand, has had has a lot to do with the story at its foundation. (I know seasoned readers of this newsletter won't be surprised by that. But if you're new, Inciting Incident is all about decoding the stories and narratives driving the world of business. You can read about why it's called what it's called and the story behind it here.)   Over the course of the last 50 years, Nike has told a powerful story. And its latest campaign tries another age-old but evergreen storytelling technique. What makes Nike's storytelling tick?   To read the full newsletter, subscribe to The Ken. Also get access to:  7 other sharp newsletters  250 new, original stories every year 5 years of exclusive paywalled stories Only at: ₹3245/year SUBSCRIBE Inciting Incident is published by The Ken—a digital, subscription-driven publication focussing on technology, business, science and healthcare. New to Inciting Incident? Try it, or see previous editions This newsletter was sent to jigar37.iilm09@blogger.com. Something wrong? Tell us at support@the-ken.com Want to unsubscribe from Inciting Incident, our premium weekly newsletter? Click here. Or set your email preferences here © 2021 The Ken