Nike Drops Just Do It

Modern Marketing Moves Away From What Worked

By Tobin Slaven

Is there any single company USP that is better known or has become more adopted as part of our cultural lexicon than Nike’s “Just Do It?”

That single slogan has driven the sports ethos of gritty determination for more than a decade, and been a flywheel of market positioning for this maker of athletic wear and apparel. In the world of sports where results mean everything, who could disagree? Quit complaining. Just do it. We understand getting things done.

Ready to change?

So how do you know when to change marketing plans – especially when its been working?

This has really become the challenge of social media marketing as more and more businesses recognize they need to be using the new channels that customers prefer (and opening up the dialogue) but many marketers get caught up with trying to use traditional advertising (a Push your message) approach in digital media. It doesn’t work. They get frustrated and they can’t understand why they aren’t getting results.

Social Media is a web 2.0 approach to marketing. That means a 2 way street of communication where the customers own the discussion as much as the brand.

So maybe Nike is onto something here…

Originally we scored this as a thumbs down because any time you change a proven system for something untested – you are taking a chance to tanking it big time. Do what works. Just because business owners might be tired of a campaign, doesn’t mean the message has gotten tired in the market place where consumers respond to many touches and exposures.

But in this case, it appears Nike is taking the “Just Do It” ethos and reworking it as a discussion piece. Just the use of the hashtag along (#MakeItCount) makes it a Twitter ready dialogue.

So how do you make it count?

You will want to watch this new video (and viral hit) created by Casey Neistat and Max Joesph. It is the anti-advertisement.

It was an intentional (can we really believe Nike didn’t know this was coming) use of the creative budget to create something cool – and something people would talk about.

Personally – I love it!

10 days. 34,000 miles. 13 countries. 3 continents.

People are watching… and talking. Looks like a win for Nike in a new world of modern marketing. Would you take the same risk?

Is your business struggling to keep up with the changing digital marketing world? Dream Local Digital has the solutions to your online marketing problems. Contact us today to get started.

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