Nike
Just Do It
The Golden Thread
Problem: This is not a shoe problem. It is a motivation problem. People do not lack gear, they lack permission to begin.
Tension: Everyday strivers want to feel like real athletes but fear judgement and the gap between intention and action.
Position: For anyone with an impulse to move, Nike turns intention into action because it backs the doer in you.
Platform: Create a rallying cry that works for every sport and every level.
Definer
The Brief: Nike needed a unifying idea that could scale beyond product innovation and speak to more than elite athletes.
Problem Reframe: This is not a shoe problem. It is a motivation problem. People do not lack gear, they lack permission to begin.
Category Convention: Sports brands lead with performance proof, hero athletes and technical superiority as the main reason to buy.
Targeter
Audience: Everyday Strivers
Tension: They want to feel like real athletes but fear judgement, failure and the gap between intention and action.
Positioner
Position Statement: For anyone with an impulse to move, Nike is the brand that turns intention into action because it backs the doer in you.
We Are Not: Exclusive. Elitist. Cautious. Overly technical. Only for pros.
Strategist
Direction: Create a rallying cry that works for every sport and every level. Make starting feel brave and making excuses feel small.
Forge: Territory Exploration
Start Now
First step moments. Imperfect beginnings. Grit over glory.
Feel: Raw, urgent, democratising
No Excuses
Direct challenge lines. Minimal copy. Punchy edits.
Feel: Confrontational, bold, uncompromising
Everyone Is An Athlete
Diverse cast. Everyday settings. Inclusive pride.
Feel: Warm, expansive, empowering
What The Creatives Made
A three-word platform that could attach to countless stories, from 80-year-old marathon runners to global superstars. The work is never about Nike. It is always about you.
"Just do it."
Why It Worked
- Brutally simple and highly portable across every sport and market
- Gives the audience a role. The brand is the enabler, not the hero
- Works at whisper (print) and at shout (anthem films) without breaking
- Exclusions kept it from drifting into elitism or technical chest-beating