Nike's advertising slogan 'Just do it' has a criminal history. How is Just do it (Nike slogan) translated? What does the phrase just do it mean?

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Interbrand, $ billion

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Brand Finance, $ billion

Since 1993, Delta-Sport has been the exclusive distributor of Nike on the Russian market, but since 2004 Nike decided to abandon its services and conquer the market on its own. In Russia, the company is represented by Nike LLC, which supplies Nike products for sale through retail chains of partner companies (the largest of them is Sportmaster).

history of the company

The company was originally founded in 1965 by student Phil Knight, a middle-distance runner for the University of Oregon, and his coach Bill Bowerman. Then it was called Blue Ribbon Sports and specialized in ordering sneakers in Asian countries and then selling them on the American market. Having invested $500 in the business, they purchase 300 pairs of sneakers from the famous Japanese company Onitsuka Tiger. The company's first self-developed product was a sneaker based on a waffle-shaped sole design that Bowerman had learned from a waffle iron.

Bill Bowerman (William Jay Bowerman)

Phil Knight

IN In 1966, the company opened its first retail store. In 1971, the Nike trademark first appeared - football boots were released under this name. In 1978, Blue Ribbon Sports was officially renamed Nike, Inc.

The name comes from the ancient Greek spirit of victory Nicky, not from the English word that would read “nike”. Ignorance of this fact led to the widespread spread in the Russian-speaking environment of the incorrect transcription of “Nike”, which was even used in the name of the company’s official representative in Russia.

On October 23, 2007, the company bought the Umbro brand, a manufacturer of sportswear and footwear, for $580 million.

$44 million is what Nike reportedly paid the Indian cricket team in 2009 under a five-year sponsorship contract. Nike puts 13,000 models of shoes and clothing on sale every quarter.

In 2010 Nike signed an 8-year sponsorship contract with Maria Sharapova for $70 million.

Brand history

The history of Nike is inextricably linked with the name of Phil Knight. The author of the Nike myth is Phil Knight. He was a mediocre middle-distance runner at the University of Oregon, and over the years, with a net worth of more than $3.8 billion, he became the sixth richest American. Metamorphosis Explained is a business he started with his athletic trainer Bill Bowerman in 1964.

American-made sports shoes then cost only 5 USD, but their quality left much to be desired. Many athletes returned from the tracks with bloody calluses on their feet. German shoes were of much higher quality, but they cost six times more - 30 USD.

Knight-Bowerman's idea was simple: high-quality shoes could be designed in the United States, manufactured in Asia, and sold in America at lower prices than popular West German sneakers. While earning an MBA from Stanford in the 1960s, Knight took classes in Frank Shallenberger's class. The task at the next seminar was a business development strategy for a small private company, including a marketing plan. According to Nike legend, it was at this marketing seminar that Knight came up with the concept for the company.

Japan was chosen as the Asian manufacturer because labor there was much cheaper than in America. In 1963, Knight traveled to Japan. In the Land of the Rising Sun, he entered into an agreement with the Onitsuka factory to sell high-quality Japanese Tigers sneakers in the United States. Returning to America, the 26-year-old businessman began selling Japanese shoes out of the back of his truck near the treadmills. Their project, the progenitor of Nike, was called Blue Ribbon Sports. The company's name was born during negotiations with the Japanese, where Knight represented himself on behalf of a defunct American sneaker distributor, Blue Ribbon Sports, interested in selling Japanese shoes in the United States.

By 1964, Knight had sold $8,000 worth of sneakers and sent an order for a new batch. Bowerman and Knight worked as a team, but they soon hired sales manager Jeff Johnson.

In 1965, Bowerman and Knight changed the name of their company, naming it after the Greek goddess of victory Nike. The new name of the company - Nike, according to legend, was invented by Jeff Johnson, who saw the winged goddess of victory Nike in a dream.

In 1971, Portland University design student Caroline Davidson designed a logo for an unknown company for a modest fee of $35. Twelve years later, in 1983, Phil Knight invited her to a restaurant and presented her with a gold ring, in addition to the emblem invented by Caroline, decorated with a diamond, and also added to his gift an envelope with a certain amount of company shares. This was a fair reward for the sign, the mere presence of which on sports shoes increases their consumer appeal several times. This logo, familiar to everyone today and symbolizing the wing of the goddess, was called SWOOSH, which can very roughly be translated into Russian as “flying with a whistle.”

Fitness revolution and jogging fashion of the early 70s. stimulated rapid business development. By 1969, Knight had already sold $1 million worth of sneakers. But the company's net income was small.

In 1975, Bill Bowerman came up with an idea that would become a turning point in the history of Nike. At breakfast, looking at his wife's waffle iron, he decided that if he made the sole of his sneakers grooved, this would, on the one hand, improve the push, and on the other, reduce the weight of the shoe. Soon he fitted the “waffle” sole to sports slippers and invited track and field athletes to try it out. This ingenious invention instantly made Nike an industry leader with a market share of 50% (1979). And after Adidas was left behind in 1980, Nike had only one competitor left - Reebok. Until Michael Jordan came along.

In 1988, a campaign featuring baseball star Bo Jackson debuted. Three videos showed Jackson running, biking and playing basketball. The videos ended with the phrase: “Bo knows.” The next clip played on the coincidence of the names of Bo Jackson and Bo Diddley, a famous musician. The headline of the message was that "Bo doesn't know Diddley."

However, the company did not have to enjoy the laurels of the winner for long. In 1998, Nike's popularity was falling, as it simply became unfashionable to wear what thousands of people around them were wearing. But this was not a surprise for Nike, which was fully armed. In 1998, Knight introduced a new line of products - ACG - "all-weather accessories." In addition, Nike restructured part of its business into separate groups: Nike Golf, Jordan Brand, Nike Hockey, Nike ACG, etc. appeared.

In 1999, Nike copes with troubles. The Internet is being successfully mastered. The company acquires a considerable number of web addresses.

In January 2000, a 30-second video appeared on television featuring track and field sprinter Marion Jones running through the streets to escape a maniac with a chainsaw. The video ends abruptly, sending viewers to whatever.nike.com for the rest of the story. On the electronic page, visitors were given a unique opportunity to watch a television clip in Apple QuickTime and come up with its ending themselves. The best options were broadcast there, on the Internet.

In May 2018, Nation News reported that Nike had developed a conveyor belt that pulls the foot into the shoe.

As noted in Nike's patent application, a small motorized conveyor belt is built into the insole or sole of the shoe. As soon as a person places the forefoot into the shoe, it automatically starts and pulls the foot into the shoe.

The source of energy for the shoe conveyor was a battery that can be charged not only from the mains, but also while running in these shoes due to the piezoelectric effect.

At the moment, Nike has not officially announced plans to create such sneakers, so far only a patent application is known.

In December 2017, a sports hijab went on sale - an element of clothing released by Nike that has no analogues.

Jeff Johnson, who was tasked with coming up with a name for the new company within 24 hours, dreamed of the ancient Greek goddess Nike. This is how the name Nike was born.

Knight's first investment in his company was $500. And Phil’s first counter was the trunk of his car.

Knight himself accidentally came up with the slogan for his company. He hung up the phone after listening to a version he didn't like and said "Just do it!"

Bill Bowerman put a rubber strip into a waffle iron to make fun of his wife. The waffle sole became the company's first independent product, and to this day it is considered the most optimal option for sports shoes.

Michael Jordan's sneakers, which collaborated with the company, were black and red, but such colors were banned in the NBA. He was fined one thousand dollars for each game in them, but Jordan continued to play in Nike shoes. The scandal with the basketball player's sneakers was good for the company.

In 2008, the Russian Central Election Commission agreed with Nike on the main logo of the presidential company of the Russian Federation, which was very similar to the legendary “swoosh”.

The name comes from the name of the Greek goddess of victory, Nike, and not from the English word, which would read "nike". Ignorance of this fact led to the widespread spread in the Russian-speaking environment of the incorrect transcription of “Nike”, which was even used in the name of the company’s official representative in Russia.

Nike has been criticized for contracting with factories in countries such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Mexico. The activist group Vietnam Labor Watch has documented that factories with which Nike worked were violating Vietnam's minimum wage and overtime laws as early as late 1996, although Nike says it has abandoned such practices.

A good advertising slogan should be associated with the brand and communicate the basic principles of the company. - the famous slogan of the American company Nike. It is one of the most recognizable advertising slogans in the world. The expression Just Do It is translated from English into Russian as “just do it.”

History of origin

How do you translate Just do it? "Just do it". In the late 1980s, Nike competed with several companies in the sneaker market. Its main competitor was Reebok. At that time, morning jogging was very popular in the United States. Sales of sportswear and sneakers have increased significantly. Nike has become one of the leaders in sales volumes. This was done through advertising involving sports stars. But Reebok was still ahead of Nike due to its female audience. Then the company decided to turn to the reputable agency Weiden & Kennedy to develop a new advertising campaign. She had to take the company to a leading position. One of the tasks was to create an advertising slogan that would attract the attention of both women and men.

Creating a slogan

We found out how Just do it is translated. This slogan is clear to both housewives and professional athletes. There are several versions of the origin of the famous expression. According to one of them, the creator of the slogan, Den Weiden, was inspired by the story of criminal Gary Gilmore, who spent most of his life in prison. He was sentenced to death for double murder. The lifting of the moratorium on the death penalty in the United States brought the case into the spotlight. Gilmore's last words before the execution - Let's do it! - ("Let's do it!") became popular. Wyden did not want to show the killer respect, so the first word was replaced with Just. As a result, the slogan echoed the anti-drug company Just say no ("Just say no"). The idea came to Wyden the night before the presentation of the slogan. At first, the Nike owner was skeptical about the slogan. But Wyden convinced him that he was right.

Advertising company

What does Just do it mean? Initially, the slogan was: “Don’t care about everything, just do it!” The new commercial stars an octogenarian runner. At the end of the video, a slogan appears in white letters on a black screen.

Now you know how Just do it is translated. And for creating a successful slogan, Dan Weiden received a ring with the same inscription and part of the company’s shares.

Most great inventions were created through only two types of effort: hard work and chance. Only in a certain incarnation does an accident still have a pattern, a genius background of the person to whom this accident arrived. Actually, this is a kind of reward for hard mental, rather than physical, work. Blue, eureka, idea - whatever.

Advertising slogans

As for these days, a great invention that can be fully appreciated by all of humanity may turn out to be a banal slogan that acts as a call to action. True, they motivate not to good and good deeds, not to progress in the name of humanity and science, but to purchase. A phrase that, at the subconscious level, should make a person mentally want to buy something, and at the same time become a motto.

We know the example of Volkswagen - 'Das Auto', Nokia - 'Connecting people' and McDonalds - 'I'm lovin it'. And these are really more like mottos than advertising slogans. But we remember them so well that we automatically picture the brand in our heads when we hear something similar. But this is already a competent PR move, which focused the public’s attention on ordinary words, and now these words play the role of a showcase, an advertising stand, forcing us, sooner or later, to give preference to this particular product. And how much effort it took their advertiser to come up with such a slogan, only they know. Maybe a week of non-stop brainstorming. Or perhaps it all lasted just a moment.

The slogan and motto of the American sportswear and footwear brand Nike is of the same importance and role. The mighty giants of this market segment became truly popular around the world when they learned to sell themselves competently and efficiently. And for such a sale, a slogan is needed that would become the most memorable for people who are the immediate target audience. Remember Nike's slogan? Of course, remember - ‘Just do it’. So where did he come from?

Just do it

The 1980s were a great time for sportswear and the brands that produced it. The frantic competition between leading brands put each side in a harsh framework, and they needed to break through these boundaries. The same Reebok was significantly ahead of Nike, capturing the segment of the female audience. This had to be countered by something more than the usual inclusion of sports superstars in Nike advertising campaigns. A brand with a logo in the form of a droplet needed innovation for its positioning, a fresh trickle that could take 10 steps forward along the path of progress and reach a leading position in the market.

For these purposes, the company's management took the step of developing a corporate slogan, which should be engraved in the minds of its customers so that they would spend more money on Nike products, and employees so that they would work better. Only in such a combination of “generous customer and hardworking worker” was it possible to go far ahead in the race of giants in the sportswear industry.

The most important mission was entrusted to the advertising agency Wieden & Kennedy, and the founder of the company, Dan Wieden himself, took on the work. At stake was not only good money intended for the completed contract. It was a matter of reputation. One of the best advertisers in the United States had to present something brilliant, something stunning and really powerful. But in fact, it turned out that the level of responsibility put so much pressure on Dan that he simply did not know what to do. On the night before the official unveiling of Nike's new slogan, Dan Weeden had absolutely not a single option that was even remotely suitable, although he could not be said to have wasted the time allotted to him. He worked, worked hard and thoughtfully. But the cart was still there.

“The evening before the presentation, I was worried that we still didn’t have some kind of link for the campaign. So I sat down and sketched out four or five slogans. I tried to find something unifying that would resonate equally with both a woman who is just thinking about how to get in shape and world-class athletes. And for some unknown reason I started thinking about Gary Gilmore. Gary killed someone in Utah, and that's not a good place to kill someone because you'll get caught and they'll kill you back. He was convicted and sentenced to death. So they dragged him into a certain room, sat him down on a chair and, before putting a bag over his head, asked him if he had anything final to say. And he said, “Let's do it! (Let's do it - English, editor's note)"

Dan Weeden

Gary Gilmore

That's the irony of fate. A man who had several murders to his name and who himself ended up at the firing line had a greater influence on adman Dan Weeden than hundreds of heroic examples of his compatriots.

Gary Gilmore spent most of his life in prison, periodically being released and then returning again. The prison was not his second, but even his first home, because none of his relatives wanted to see him, especially after the story of the murder of his relatives. Most likely, if by some random coincidence Gilmore had survived, he would have received a certain bonus for his brilliant phrase, slightly adjusted by Dan Weeden to “Just do it” and which became iconic for the world leader in the production of sportswear and equipment. But would he have said this phrase if he was not in danger of death? Hardly. Then this story would not have happened, according to which Nike, which has a multi-billion dollar turnover of dollar transactions, became such largely thanks to the appearance in 1988 of its new and now recognizable slogan ‘Just do it’. Great things are discovered in small things.

Now you know very well who was the inspiration for Dan Weeden. So the next time you put on your Cortes or Airmaxes, remember poor Gilmore, who was destined to go down in history in such a bad way for him.

If you're looking for inspiration, check out our list of awesome slogans from world famous companies.

But before that, let’s figure out what a “good slogan” is and what exactly makes it selling.

What is a slogan?

Tagline is a phrase or group of words that identifies a product or company.

Companies need slogans for exactly the same thing as logos - for advertising. The only difference is that logos are visual advertising, and slogans are audio advertising. But both of these formats attract the attention of consumers much more effectively than the name of the company or product alone. In addition, a logo or slogan is much easier to understand and remember.

The purpose of any slogan is to convey to the client the main message of the brand, a key idea that will certainly remain in people’s memory.

How to create an effective slogan?

All successful slogans have similar characteristics:

• It's memorable
  The slogan should be easily recognizable. A few short, bright, memorable words can be used in advertising, videos, posters, business cards, etc.
• It conveys the core value of the brand
  What should be sold is not the product's features, but its benefits - this is the golden rule of marketing, ideal for creating successful slogans. A good slogan should clearly and clearly convey information about the benefits of the company (product) to the target audience.
• It makes your brand stand out from your competitors
  Find what sets your brand apart from others and use it to create your slogan.

• It evokes positive emotions towards the brand
  Successful slogans use positive, optimistic words. For example, the slogan “Russia is a generous soul” will evoke positive emotions among consumers, while the slogan “Otmochitos in the style of Cheetos” will only cause bewilderment.

So, we've looked at the key characteristics of successful slogans. Now let's see how modern companies use them in practice.

1. Nike - "Just Do It" / "Just Do It"

Nike's message immediately resonated with people. The company has become much more than an ordinary manufacturer of sportswear and shoes - it represents a special state of mind and body! Nike's motivational message gives hope to people around the world: “If you want to do something, just do it!”

The specialists at the Kennedy + Weiden agency, who came up with the legendary slogan, could hardly imagine that it would become so popular. Nike used to make clothing exclusively for marathon runners. But after the resounding success of the slogan, Nike's audience increased many times over. This example just goes to show that some companies take time to create a slogan that conveys the brand message and resonates with the target audience.

2. Apple - "Think Different" / "Think Different"

This slogan first appeared in Apple's “Here's to the Crazy Ones, Think Different” advertising campaign, dedicated to famous dreamers who challenged the system and were able to change the world. The phrase itself is a bold response to IBM's “Think IBM” campaign, which at that time presented its ThinkPad.

Soon, the slogan “Think Different” began appearing in all Apple advertising, despite the fact that the company was not releasing new products at that time. Suddenly people began to realize that Apple was These are not just computers, but both powerful and easy-to-use devices available to each of us.

3. L"Oréal - "Because You"re Worth It" / "After all, you deserve it"

Who among us doesn’t want to feel worthy of something? L'Oréal specialists know for sure that women use cosmetics to feel more beautiful, attractive, desirable and... worthy this. The L"Oréal slogan does not talk about the product itself, but about the image and sensations the company can give to women. This message allowed the L"Oréal brand to go beyond and change the usual concept of the cosmetics industry.

The celebration of the 40th anniversary of the slogan “After all, you deserve it” took place in Paris. Guest stars - Jane Fonda, Freida Pinto, Iness de la Fressange and others came to congratulate L'Oréal Paris and talk about what it means to them to collaborate with a brand whose slogan makes millions of women around the world believe in themselves.

4. MasterCard - "There are some things money can"t buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard" / "There are things that cannot be bought. For everything else, there is MasterCard"

This two-sentence slogan was coined by MasterCard back in 1997. At the time, the slogan was part of an outstanding advertising campaign that was launched in 98 countries in 46 languages. The very first appearance of the advertising campaign was on television in 1997. The content of the ad was this: a father and son go to the baseball field together, the father pays for tickets, hot dogs and drinks, but the conversation between father and son is priceless. After this, the MasterCard advertising campaign became truly viral, long before the advent of social networks.

What is the secret of the MasterCard campaign? Each commercial evokes emotions in viewers, awakening pleasant, dear memories - for example, as was the case with the first advertisement, memories of going to a baseball game with dad. Nostalgia is a very powerful marketing tool.

5. BMW - "The Ultimate Driving Machine" / "Full Drive"

BMW sells cars all over the world, in North America the brand is known under the slogan “The Ultimate Driving Machine”. This slogan was coined in the 1970s by the Ammirati&Puris agency and was aimed at “baby boomers” who began to earn their own money and were ready to spend it. And what better demonstrates status than buying a premium car?

With this slogan, the brand wanted to emphasize the fact that BMWs are cars that will take your breath away to drive. It was based on an emotional message for which consumers were willing to pay more.

For Russia, the slogan “With pleasure behind the wheel” (Freude am Fahren), which has existed since 1961, has become more popular.

6. M&M - "Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands" / "Melts in your mouth, not in the heat"

Understanding the value proposition of this brand is not difficult at all. How can one type of chocolate differ from another? M&M were able to differentiate their product from competitors - their chocolate does not melt in your hands.

7. De Beers - "A Diamond is Forever" / "Diamonds Forever"

Essentially, diamonds cost at least 50% less than what you would pay for them at a jewelry store. So why did they become a symbol of wealth? All thanks to the amazing marketing strategy from N.W. Ayer, developed in the early 1900s for De Beers.

The iconic phrase “Diamonds are forever” began appearing in every De Beers advertisement since 1948, and in 1999 AdAge named it the best slogan of the century. Its main message: diamonds, like your relationships, are forever. Which, among other things, stopped consumers from mass resale of diamonds (and therefore reducing their value). Brilliant move.

8. Lay's - "Betcha Can"t Eat Just One" / "I bet you can't eat just one"

In Russia, this slogan was translated with slight changes and sounded like “So delicious that you can’t resist!”

Seriously, has this worked for anyone? Although this slogan would have been suitable for other snack companies, Lay's was the first. The slogan does not describe the taste of the product. Instead, the brand turned to the peculiarity of human nature: it is simply impossible to stop eating chips.

9. Audi - "Vorsprung durch technik" / "Excellence in high technology"

“Vorsprung durch technik” has been the main slogan of Audi worldwide since 1971. The Audio 80 (B1 series) appeared a year later in 1972: these cars with new technical characteristics were an excellent reflection of the slogan. And still the slogan “High-Tech Excellence” ” is relevant for the Audi brand. It is important to note that Audi invariably leaves its slogan in German on written media, no matter in which country they sell and advertise their cars.

10. McDonald's - "I"m Lovin" It" / "That's what I love"

The “I’m Lovin’ It” advertising campaign was launched in 2003 and is still relevant today. This is a great example of a slogan that resonates with your target audience. The food at McDonald's is far from the healthiest, but many people really love its taste.

11. Maybelline - "Maybe she"s born with it. Maybe it's Maybelline" / "Maybe she was born with it. Maybe it's Maybelline"

In Russia, this slogan was translated with minor changes and sounded like: “Everyone is delighted with you, and you are delighted with Maybelline.”

Maybelline's first slogan was created in the 1990s and has become one of the most famous throughout the world. It instills a sense of self-confidence in women. After all, brand cosmetics can make her look like a model from a glossy magazine.

The company changed its slogan to "Make IT Happen" in February 2016, inspiring women to express their understanding of beauty in their own way. However, the previous motto does not lose its relevance.

12. The New York Times - "All the News That"s Fit to Print" / "All the news that can be printed"

The slogan was created in the late 1890s as a response to other publishers who made money only from sensationalism. The New York Times, on the other hand, focused on important facts and stories that taught readers something new. Thanks to the slogan, the newspaper became considered a trustworthy source of information.

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