Nike campaign targets Gen Z
30th anniversary of ‘Just Do It’ may pay off big.
“Believe in something even if it means sacrificing everything.’’
That tagline, part of a new ad featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, could also sum up the philosophy behind Nike’s decision to feature the controversial football player in its 30th anniversary “Just Do It’’ campaign.
The move has sparked calls for a boycott and images on social media of angry customers setting their Nike gear on fire in protest. But at a time when the teens who make up Generation Z are focusing their spending power on companies willing to take risks, Nike may have far more to gain than to lose by entering the fray, some retail watchers believe.
“I think this is a brilliant move,” says Rick Milenthal, CEO of the marketing firm The Shipyard. “We all know that the Nike campaign ‘ Just Do It’ is one of the most consistent and amazing longterm campaigns, but the truth is, it has become stale for this new generation. ... People today have an interest in authenticity, and I think, long term, it will pay off – and I think it already has. We’re all talking about it.”
Nike’s ad echoes recent actions by other companies who have taken a stand on controversial issues during one of the most polarized cultural moments in memory.
On Tuesday, Levi Strauss & Co. announced that it was setting up a fund to contribute more than $1 million in grants over the next four years to groups and activists working to prevent gun violence. It also will help create a coalition of business leaders to try to stem the nation’s shooting epidemic.
In 2016, Target announced a transgender bathroom policy, allowing people to “use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity,” sparking backlash from some conservative activists. And in February, Dick’s Sporting Goods banned assault-style weapons, high-capacity magazines and gun sales to buyers un- der 21 two weeks after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
“As business leaders with power in the public and political arenas, we simply cannot stand by silently when it comes to the issues that threaten the very fabric of the communities where we live and work,” Chip Bergh, Levi’s president and CEO, wrote in an op-ed for Fortune. “While taking a stand can be unpopular with some, doing nothing is no longer an option.”
Kaepernick is one of several athletes, including tennis star Serena Williams, professional skateboarder Lacey Baker and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who are featured in the sneaker giant’s 30th anniversary campaign for its iconic slogan “Just Do It.”
Kaepernick, whose ad premiered on Labor Day, became a lightning rod in the debate about social justice, patriotism and the appropriate way to fight for both, when he began kneeling during the pre-game playing of the national anthem in 2016. Many other players followed suit, and Kaepernick became a symbol in the Black Lives Matter move- ment protesting police brutality.
But 2016 marked the last season Kaepernick played in the NFL. He has filed a collusion grievance with the league, arguing that NFL owners have united to deny him a team position because of his protests. Last week, arbitrator Stephen Burbank sided with Kaepernick, when he denied the NFL’s request for a summary judgment and determined that there was sufficient evidence for Kaepernick’s complaint to go to trial.
Kaepernick, who signed a contract with Nike in 2011, is in some ways an ideal fit for the “Just Do It” mantra, some marketing experts say. And Nike’s decision to stick with him in the midst of controversy may be particularly noteworthy to the members of Generation Z, a group that currently influences $600 billion in family spending and is expected to represent 40 percent of all shoppers by 2020.
“Generation Z is all about authenticity,” says Bob Phibbs, CEO of the Retail Doctor, a New York-based consultancy.