Just Do What?
The phrase “Just do it” might be one of the most brilliant marketing phrases of all time! One can see it on shirts, and advertisements all around the world. This ad began 1988 in an add featuring an 80-year-old marathon runner in San Francisco. According to the Washington post article the idea for the phrase was inspired in a morbid way. In 1977 Garry Gilmore was convicted of murdering a gas station employee. Because of this crime he was sentenced to execution. When asked if he had any last words Gilmore stated the phrase “Lets do it” and with out at flinch the executed him. Dan Wieden took this story and ran with it to Nike as an advertising executive! This is crazy morbid to me! When we look at this phase that inspires so many, and the idea that it came from a murderer! The Washington post article says “Certainly, it wasn’t a question of Dan being inspired by Gary Gilmore, but rather, it was about the ultimate statement of intention” (Washington Post, 2018). All of this leads me to my main point “Just Do It” is the biggest Ideograph in Marketing.
What is “it”? When looking back in history of Nike “it” has been all kinds of things. The first advertisement with this slogan “It” was an 80-year-old man running a marathon. We can look back in the later 80’s when “It” was flying like Mike. Then we can look at the Mid 90’s when “It” was women playing sports. Or, we can look at current events in news where “It” is being in the center of a social justice movement centering around Colin Kaepernick. All of these things have been included in advertisements of “Just do It”, but not a one of them are the same. How can the meaning of the slogan be so broad, yet so motivational? Athletes eat this phrase up, and apply it to challenges they’re facing, but this leads me to my final point.
What does facing challenges, and “Just doing it” have to do with Nike gear? Is Nike’s gear bringing a solution to all of these challenges? I mean they got this phrase from a man who killed a person, and was being persecuted to death. In a way by him saying the Phrase “Lets do it” I guess that solved his challenge because he no longer had to face life, but this still does not solve my confusion. How has this phrase “Just Do It” been so successful to a company that sells athletic gear? What are they telling these athletes to “Just Do”? Does each consumer have a differ ideology behind what the phrase “Just Do It”? How does Nike decide which Ideologies to base their ads off of to say “Just Do It” This is just a small bite of this massive ideograph, but one I am definitely excited to write more about.
“‘Just Do It’: The Surprising and Morbid Origin Story of Nike’s Slogan.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 4 Sept. 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/09/04/from-lets-do-it-to-just-do-it-how-nike-adapted-gary-gilmores-last-words-before-execution/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.d5043d3d1746.
