September 27, 2025 • 31 mins
We risk agony, defeat, and heartache to share our thoughts on Nike’s reimaging of the brand’s iconic “Just Do It” campaign for a new generation
Get show notes for this episode and check out past episodes of the Speaking Human podcast by visiting speakinghuman.com.
#Podcast #SpeakingHuman #VO #Branding #Marketing #Advertising #Business #SmallBiz #Brands #Ads #simplify #popculture #art #Brands #logos #justdoit #nike #whydoit #sports #taglines
Get show notes for this episode and check out past episodes of the Speaking Human podcast by visiting speakinghuman.com.
#Podcast #SpeakingHuman #VO #Branding #Marketing #Advertising #Business #SmallBiz #Brands #Ads #simplify #popculture #art #Brands #logos #justdoit #nike #whydoit #sports #taglines
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Speaking Human.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Today. On Speaking Human, we risk agony, defeat, and heartache
to share our thoughts on Nike's reimagining of the brand's
iconic just Do It campaign for a new generation.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Speaking Human.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Welcome to Speaking Human, where we simplify the world of
marketing for humans. I'm Shad Calmly and with me is
my co host Patrick Jebber. You know, sometimes Patrick, I
don't know if I can do this podcast. I don't
know if I have it in me, and then I
think to myself, just do it, and here I am.
(00:51):
It's it. It's all it takes.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Yeah. I often just say why do it?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
I say, just do it, and you're like, but why
do it?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
You're like, Jeff, let do it.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
So, speaking of just do it, how about some Nike
related trivia, how's that sound.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Oh, I'm psyched for Nike trivia. This is gonna be
a gonna be good, I think, Yeah, I think so.
I think this will be good for you. Yeah, it'd
be good for my ego, my humility.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Always trivia always a boost for you, always brings you up.
So here we go.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
A couple questions for you. First, one multiple choice. Of course,
we want to make it easy for our listeners out
there who are playing along, not for you. You don't
need these answers, but they might. So Question one. What
unexpected real life event inspired Nike's iconic just Do It slogan?
(01:47):
Was it a a motivational speech by Muhammad Ali b
a slogan from an Olympic gold medalist, C A line
from a Hollywood movie, or d the final words of
a convicted murderer.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
This one's easy. It's the final words of a convicted murderer.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Yeah, you got one that's hard to believe. Right, it's
very surprising.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
If you don't know it, you're probably like, say what,
But yeah, Nike's just do It slogan was inspired by
the final words of convicted murderer Gary Gilmour, who said
let's do it before his execution in nineteen seventy seven.
A detailed Nike's co founder Dan Widen intentionally kept quiet
(02:34):
for decades understandably yep. So one for one, Patrick feeling good?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Not really, because if that was the easy one, I'm
not going to succeed on the next one.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Well, I think you can get this one too, Okay.
So question two, who was featured in the first Nike
commercial to use the just do it slogan in nineteen
eighty eight. Is it a female marathon or Joan Benoy Samuelson.
I'm sure I butchered that real good b NBA All
(03:06):
Star Michael Jordan, ce eighty year old runner Walt Stack,
or d pro football and baseball player Bo Jackson, very
good at Techmobile. Bo Jackson, he.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Was Bo Nos Techmobile Bow Nos. I'm gonna say no
on Bo because Bo was Bono's. I think Bo was Bonos,
so I don't think it was him. I'm sort of
leaning towards either Michael Jordan or the marathon.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Or Joan Benoy Samuelson.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah, I just I just wanted you to say it again.
I wanted to try get you to pronounce it again.
What year was it? It was eighty eight, right.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Yeah, nineteen eighty eight.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
I'm gonna say. I'm gonna say it's the marathon, or
even though I think it's Jordan.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
It's not the marathon.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Okay, So it's Jordan, it's not Jordan's. Oh, it's it's C.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
It is C. It's eighty year old runner Walt Stack. Okay,
speature jogging across the Golden gate Bridge first ever, just
do it?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
At see, I would have gotten it wrong three times over.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yeah, but you know you only got it wrong once technically,
so you're fifty fifty coming out of here.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
I felt pretty good that I eliminated Bo because I
know Bo knows and that was a Nike.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Bo could have known two things.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Eh, but what DoD he have just done it? Probably not.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
He's like, if my name's not in it, I'm not
doing it. Yeah, He's like, why do it?
Speaker 2 (04:40):
And that leads in nicely, I think, because obviously we're
talking about just do it, which is Nike's very, very
famous slogan. But this is also has a lot to
do with their very recent launch of the why do
It campaign.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
It was a little walking why do it?
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Why? This campaign doesn't just tweak its iconic slogan, it
flips it what some might call a full blown cultural commentary.
So just do it. As you mentioned, it's been around
with the Nike brand since nineteen eighty eight. It's been shouted,
it's been whispered, it's been stitched onto the backs of
(05:23):
the world's greatest athletes. It's simple, it's commanding, and it's timeless.
But in twenty twenty five. You know, we're in a
different world now than nineteen eighty eight, and sometimes trying
too hard in twenty twenty five is seen as cringe
as the kids say.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
So.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
This new Marquee spot, the why Do It campaign, is
narrated by Tyler the creator Guys Don't Know, It's a rapper,
and it features an all star cast of Lebron James,
Caitlin Clark, It's Goin Barkley, Vinnie Junior, Ray So Lil,
I think that's how you say, and the entire Real
(06:05):
Madrid squad. The campaign directs the language at this cringe
culture of trying too hard, but in visuals these are
people who are trying really hard. So the ad challenges
that idea though, and it's saying do it anyway ultimately,
so Nike's Nike depends on how you like to say it.
(06:26):
We've talked about this a million times on the show.
The chief marketing Officer, Nicole Graham said the campaign is
part of a larger shift and the company is reorganizing
its marketing around specific sports again, basketball, football, soccer, skateboarding
to reconnect with both elite athletes and everyday players. So
(06:49):
that's a big part of the why Do It campaign
and what they're trying to achieve, balancing that legendary status
of stars like Lebron with the relatable hustle of ordinary
athletes like you and me shed you know, yeah, the
ordinary athletes pushing ourselves daily on this podcast, maybe weekly.
According to Fast Company, the campaign has great potential to
(07:10):
combat the impacts of cringe. It's a real thing, like
people talking about the cringe. Some branding experts believe it
could help Nike better resonate with younger audiences who prioritize
purpose over performance. So while the just do It campaign
or the just Do It tagline isn't going away, Nike
(07:31):
is clearly evolving and acknowledging in this day and age
that you know, motivation looks different than it did in
nineteen eighty eight. So that's a little background too what
we're talking about today Nike.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Yeah, No, that's good. That's a good like preamble of
information on how we got here and what this campaign
is trying to do. All that being said, let's dive
into why do it?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Why do it?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
The great question of our time? Does this work for you?
The big question? Patrick, what do you think is this working.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
I'm not in love with it. I'll say that I
think I'm fine with it, but I'm not in love
with it. What do you think?
Speaker 3 (08:11):
I think for the most part it works. It's a
simple but clever recalibration. It's also a little bit of
a trick. We'll get into that a little more. I'd
want to blow that up right now. But for the
most part, I think it works in the way almost
most Nike marketing works, you know, plays kind of like
a sports movie, makes you want to lace up, gets
(08:32):
you kind of inspired, gives a jolt back to that
iconic slogan that still kind of plays, but it's also
become so much of an icon it's a little bit
of background now. I think it works for the most part.
But I think I sound kind of like you. I'm
not really over the moon about it.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Mm hmm. I don't know if it was a combination
of the voiceover, or if like the way it was
voiced over, or if it was the shots, Like I
felt like they could have played with it a little
bit more and it might have been better for me.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Maybe I'm with you on that. I think when I
was saying that kind of felt like standard issue Nike.
That's kind of mostly what I was talking about, not
a bold reimagining. It feels like a Nike ad that
you've seen many times before, which are always good and
well executed. But it doesn't feel any different than what
(09:25):
we've seen many times before.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Yeah, and I think today brands are having a real
hard time for the most part, So yeah, I kind
of get it why they would do that. The other
part is it should feel like a Nike ad, but
also like it's kind of like one of those things
where you hope for a little bit more, You hope
for something that just a little bit different that you go, Oh,
I like that, because it could come across a little
(09:50):
bit more clever and playful if done a little just
a little differently, you know, not anything strikingly different. But
I think there was something there that they missed maybe.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Yeah, I think I'm there on that. I think like
hearing about the campaign, you know, reading a little bit
about it, and then watching the commercial, maybe my expectation
thought there was going to be something a little bit
more than what we got there, Yeah, to kind of
throw in, you know, something I will say that I like,
or I think is pretty brilliant. Here the shift from
(10:23):
just a declarative sentence yeah or command if you will
to a question that's pretty brilliant.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Yeah, not a lot of work on.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
The back end, but you know, it seems like it's
making a big impact. You don't have to change much,
just a couple of words, you throw a punctuation mark
on there, and bam, you got something fresh. I like that,
you know, I was even trying to think of my mind.
I'm like, okay, if we got just do it, and
then we moved to why do it? What is going
to be our third iteration in another forty years? And
(10:54):
maybe it's don't do it? Where it's like a little
reverse psychology, yeah, Catigonia style, where they're like, don't do it,
You'll never succeed, you can't make it.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
I think they did something similar in one of the
ads where it was like Serena Williams.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Or somebody was voicing it over.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
It was kind of like it felt like that, you know,
kind of a negative tone they said you can't do
it or something like that.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Mmmm. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
I mean it's a good point, though, you could really
play with that to the endth degree. So things that
I like or don't like about the campaign. Mm hmm,
I broke it into threes. I think you're gonna love
these because they're also a literative alliterative.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Well, who doesn't love of three things? Lay it on me?
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Number one posing? What do you mean by posing? Patrick?
Speaker 3 (11:40):
Yeah? What do you mean?
Speaker 2 (11:41):
The idea of posing the question to me is a
way for them to play with the original tagline. But
there's no need to make this long term commitment. That's
kind of the beauty of it is like this one off.
So they're just kind of posing this question and the
cam pain only works. Posing the question only works because
(12:04):
of what came before, because it's not strong without it right, Like,
this question doesn't mean anything without having.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
The forty years of history that came exactly just do
it right?
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Yeah, So I like that. Number two pressuring? What do
you mean, Patrick? Why are you bringing all this posing? Pressuring?
Sounds like you're just trying to be creative. I am
a little bit. I'm trying to be creative. So the
idea that the original tagline was a type of mandate
or outcome they mentioned, it feels a little like this
(12:37):
thing that was demanding right the way that they sort
of position that feels a little bit like BS. The
way they describe it, like in the news room, it
feels like marketing spin to me, do athletes today because
they say this, do athletes today really feel more pressure
than athletes who came before. Maybe maybe the social pressures,
(13:00):
social media, that kind of thing could be a little
bit harder than back then. But I don't think it's
entirely true, And I think you can simplify it to
one word, which will be number three. But this is
what they say right film striking message speaks directly to
today's athletes who are growing up in a world where
trying and failing can feel daunting, where taking a leap
(13:20):
feels harder than ever, and where the temptation to quit
is louder than any reason to keep going. That's kind
of like everybody like for all time. I don't think
that there's any difference today than there has ever been
with that feeling. So I feel like that pressure for
them to like create a reason to do it feel
(13:40):
a little bit like BS. Then they led to pandering
because they're pandering to this new generation. So number three
is pandering. It feels like they're pandering to the new
generation and that's not a bad thing. I mean, I
get you have to do that. You know, as they
mentioned in their newsroom, it's designed to meet young athletes
where they are. The campaign reframes greatness as a choice,
(14:04):
not an outcome, handing just do It to today's generation
and emboldening them to write the next chapter. I think
giving them some sense of ownership right in the just
Do It campaign, which came way before them. It's a
good idea, you know, it gives them a fresh place
to start. I mean, I feel like that's the goal
of any brand, you know that's had the same tagline
(14:25):
for almost forty years, right, So, I feel like there's
this like these three things that I noticed that were happening, posing, pressuring,
and pandering. What do you think of that?
Speaker 3 (14:34):
No, those are good And I'm glad you even called
out that quote. You know, I was trying to think
in my mind how this actually works to connect more
with younger generations.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
M hm.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
And you kind of like stated that, you know, isn't
this every generation? I guess they're like putting it on them,
like it's harder for you than it's ever been before.
Even if that maybe BS, Yeah, you know, maybe everybody
wants to feel that way, like, hey, it is harder
for me, that's so sure.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
There.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
I looked at this and I was like, is this
really gonna connect with younger generations? My one thought was like,
maybe if YouTube and TikTok had proven anything, it's this
generation loves kind of a challenge and maybe reframing it
as like why do it is more of, you know,
a challenge versus the command. Maybe that's the idea here,
But I had trouble connecting how this is better for
(15:23):
the younger generation piece. That part did not totally come
together for me.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Yeah, we're getting to the point now, right, A, we've
been podcasting for thirteen years, and B we're a couple
of older guys, and maybe this is where we're at.
Like I don't see it because I'm too far outside
of the bubble. Yeah, and therefore, you know, whatever I say,
a young person is going to be like, okay, boomer, right,
(15:48):
And I get that, And I do get that if
it does speak to them, it's surprising to me other
than the fact that, like they're seeing all these greats
which inspire everyone, right, no matter what age athlete you are.
You see Lebron or you whatever, in whatever sport you
see that person who you aspire to be, Like, yeah,
(16:09):
that speaks to me, But I don't know how the
changing the slogan does that.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Yeah, I alluded to in the beginning that this is
a little bit of a trick, a little bit of
smoke and mirrors.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
M M.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
I feel like Nike is making it seem like they're
blowing this out, like they're doing something bold and significant,
when really they're not doing all that anything, all that different.
I mean, the new ad ends would just do it.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
It's like a vintage Nike ad that ends would just
do it. So just because you're incorporating this, why do
it messaging? I don't know. And then you're like positioning
it out to the world as, Hey, guess what we're doing.
We're changing up our pitch something different.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Now.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
They moved a few characters around at a doc and
did a lot of work convincing us they're doing something different.
But then when you see the product, it's kind of
the same. Yeah, and it is very much like you
said down the middle. You're seeing like Lebron and these
other like famous athletes, and it's inspirational, it's good. Again.
I'm like mostly positive on it, but I feel like
(17:11):
it's being sold as more than it actually is.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Yeah, which that's the spin and I get that. That's
why I say, sometimes whenever you're trying to justify something
a little bit of the BS that goes along with
it to try to justify it, some people can see
through that. That's all I'm saying. Some people can see
through the BS, you know, and see it for what
it actually is. I mean, who am I to judge? Like,
did I do anything for Nike lately?
Speaker 1 (17:35):
No?
Speaker 2 (17:35):
I don't have the cred of a Nike level client,
so I can't say, hey, you could have done something
amazing and something much better. I mean I think you can.
But it's okay for what it is in my opinion.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Yeah, and they've inflated it pretty well. Actually, it's kind
of impressive in that way. It's just one of those
things when you kind of put it under the microscope
a little bit, you start to see the seams m hm,
and you're like, you know, if you know what to
look for, You're.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Like, hmm.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Interesting. So this kind of you know, brings up an
interesting facet of this.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Just do it?
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Obviously one of the most iconic tagline slash ad campaigns
of all time, As you mentioned almost going on forty
years here a little under that, do you think that
makes the job of the Nike marketing team easier or harder?
You're like cemented to just do it essentially, I mean,
I can't imagine they're just going to scrap it. Do
(18:31):
you think that makes their job easier harder? You know,
what are the kind of challenges and opportunities of marketing
in the shadow when you're suctioned two? Just do it.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
It's a double edged sword, right, I think it's easier
and harder, And I know listeners you love it when
I do this. I like I basically I'm pandering to
both sides. Right, It's easier to play off the original
now that is has iconic status, and that's mainly because
of the recall and recognition. Right, it's easier to play
(19:03):
off of that. This wouldn't be anything without that, it
couldn't exist, or it could exist, but it wouldn't mean anything.
It would just be like why did they ask the question?
You know, But it's harder because of the generations of
people who have experienced the history of the brand's message.
And what I mean by that is like people feel
(19:24):
a connection or a personal relationship with it. I'll use
an example, a more recent example. Take the history of
the cracker barrel and that controversy. Was the business out
there trying to offend people, not in the slightest. No
business goes out there and goes, you know what, I
want to alienate all of my customers. Did they clearly
(19:46):
because people were upset about the changes enough so that
the brand reverted and abandoned all of their efforts to
refresh the brand. It's that connection that people have with
the thing that came before. That's what makes it hard,
because you have to be very delicate, you have to
be very conscientious. I think that's why they tended to
(20:07):
be really safe. I mean, maybe that's not going to
be it for all time, if they're still going to
play this campaign out, But I think that's really the
meat and the potatoes of it is it's easier and
harder at the same time.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Yeah, to me, it's like having an older brother who's
a star quarterback. You know, how can you ever really
live up to that? It's almost impossible. At the same time,
you're kind of working from the top. You know what
I mean, you already have that in your DNA, so
it might be less exciting than trying to build something
big from scratch, but you already have it. Most companies
(20:44):
spend decades trying to get where Nike's already got to,
and you're kind of just starting right from that platform.
I will say it does seem a little bit like
Nike's been coasting, you know, resting on the laurels a
little bit. According to the data firm Tracksuit, the company
shifted marketing resources away from brand building and culturally relevant
(21:05):
campaigns toward performance marketing, which caused a decline in Nike's
quote unquote brand heat as it's lost its connection with
consumers who no longer saw themselves in the brand. I
mean the company's sales, you know, we haven't really mentioned
that they're down significantly this year. Yeah, so Nike's in
a little bit of a funk. And you could say,
(21:28):
I think there's a lot of factors involved in that,
but I think the marketing is probably one of them.
You know, I don't know if they're going as hard
as they have gone in the past.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
I was reading somewhere last year that they were talking
about that they're trying to come back from sluggish sales,
and you know, there's numerous factors that play into that.
I think a lot of that comes back to, you know,
brands that have been around that long. You know, they
become sort of a staple. Like brands themselves can become
comfortable or maybe complacent. Custom also sort of become that too.
(22:02):
There's not like the spark of creativity and excitement that
you get when it's kind of a new brand and
you're like, yeah, it gives me goosebumps, right, the brand goosebumps.
Like when you have a brand that's been around for
a long time, it doesn't do that anymore. It becomes comfortable.
It's kind of like I'm gonna go ahead and put
(22:23):
on that nice cozy sweater to go to bed, ind
you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Yeah, And you're right, Nike I think has to be careful.
They don't want to become like the grandfather of running shoes, right,
which they are, but they don't want to become that
in terms of perception.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Yeah, because that's a slippery slope. Then you're not the
ones who are innovating. People are always going to gravitate
towards the shiny new shoes quite literally in this case.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Yeah, so it'll be interesting to see where they kind
of go from here and where this campaign takes them
from here. We don't know, we're just seeing this first
a taste of it. Well, Patrick, it's that time.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
I love this time of the podcast of the year podcast.
I don't know, it's not a year.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
You're ready then? You ready for a little mind thundering.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
I love some mond thundering.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
So right now, what we're gonna do is, you know,
taking some inspiration from what Nike has done, We're going
to try to think how could some other iconic slogans
be rebooted in a similar manner, How could they go
from maybe more of a statement to a question. The
example I think you threw out, Patrick was McDonald's I'm
(23:41):
loving it becoming am I loving it?
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Yeah? When you say it like that too, you know
it's so good. This is fun because you know, basically
what we're going to be doing is a lot like
what Nike did, you know, just changing it up, just
slightly shifting it, as they say, reimagining it or reimaging it.
So what are you going on the docket?
Speaker 3 (24:07):
So I have a few here. Let me throw this
one out to you first. So we know the classic
KFC tagline finger licking good, which I don't think they
actually use anymore. So KFC's finger licking good, you know,
I converted into is it really finger licking good? And
then you got to try it?
Speaker 2 (24:28):
I like this because whenever you ask the question, naturally
you're gonna try to answer it.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
Yeah, you want to know the answer, is it really
finger licking good?
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Is it.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Well? And you could show the chicken and you could
be like, is it really? And then it's like, well,
you got to try it and see if you lick
your fingers afterwards.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Oh yeah, yeah, I like it. I like it. I
have one is a diamond forever, and that comes from
a diamond is forever from de Beers, which everybody knows,
you know, the de Beer's diamonds. But I think people
will naturally go, yeah, of course diamonds are forever. I
mean I think so unless they prove that they're not.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Some sort of scientists would be like, well, actually a
diamond will last one hundred and fifty three years and
then start eroding. Now that's a good one. I can
see that working. Let me give you my sincere one
that I could see actually playing out. This is a
classic loreal because you're worth it? Am I worth it?
Speaker 2 (25:28):
That overlaps I had are you worth it? Oh?
Speaker 3 (25:31):
Okay? Are you worth it? Am? I was speaking directly
to the individual.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Yeah, yeah, I like it?
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Well you are too. I guess you're going with you.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Because you're worth it? You know? Are you worth it?
Am I worth it? When you like? I could see
that in a commercial, you know what I mean, Like
the person's going am I worth it? The problem with
it is it could be a derogatory question, you know
what I mean, because you're you're talking about someone someone's
worth right, a little insulting. It could be like a
(26:02):
cracker barrel issue all over again, you know, people getting upset. Yeah,
but a lot of these I think they they also
rely on intonation, you know what I mean, the vocal subtext.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
Yeah, definitely. And there's different ways you could even, you know,
play the same thing.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
How about the age old eminems melts in your mouth
not in your hands? And it could just be does
it melt.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
In your mouth not in your hands?
Speaker 2 (26:26):
I think this is a little too close to home though,
because we all know that eminem's melt in your hands,
especially the given the right circumstances.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Well maybe they come out with an eminem that does
not melt in your hands. Mmm, and then they challenge people.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
See, I think it could be kind of comical, especially
given the eminem's jokes with the characters, right, just kind
of going a step further, like does it melt in
your mouth not in your hands? And then you show
the person right their hands are chocolate because they had
hands of eminem's and it's just codd and the person
starts eating their hands but it's chocolate, and it could
(27:02):
be like a comedy type thing, you know. It's kind
of like when the one eminem eats the other eminem,
kind of like self cannibalism. Person just ate their own hand.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
Yeah, I've got one along the same line. So in
the in the candy category as well. So it's Skittles,
we on the taste the rainbow mm hmm. What does
the rainbow taste like?
Speaker 2 (27:27):
What does the rainbow taste like? What does a rainbow
even taste like? I think you need the even in there.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
Yeah, Skittles could have some fun with that. They do
some weird weird ads.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
They do. And that's that's a brand that definitely could.
They'd have fun with it. I think for sure. Listen,
I got a really good one here that I think.
Now I'm flipping the script as they say, got milk.
The original is got milk. This is got milk.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Period.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Yeah, change it from a question to a state where
is that? All the other ones that are changing him
to questions. I'm imagining two people in a restaurant, maybe
even a bar, of course, and one guy says the other,
what you got there, buddy, And the other guy says,
with total confidence, got milk? You know what I mean? Yeah,
(28:18):
say I'm going with that like just this, like no question.
You could start a movement with that, you know you could.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
I got another. I got another funny one. I think
it's kind of funny. So we know Old Spice got
popular with their tagline the man your man could smell
like But what if we twist that around to could
your man smell like that man?
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Could that actually happen? Probably not?
Speaker 3 (28:49):
Could your man smell like that?
Speaker 2 (28:52):
No?
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Nah? Nah?
Speaker 2 (28:54):
I think you could do that with almost everyone. And
I think it's fun when you have the one that
are already questions and you change them into non questions.
It's almost more difficult in a way because you're making
the bold statement, and the bold statement is sometimes harder.
It's a harder sell, so it'd have to be executed correctly.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
This is one I think is pretty good. You know, Toyota,
Let's go places, So then you flip it to where
are we going?
Speaker 2 (29:26):
From?
Speaker 3 (29:26):
What's their tagline? It's let's go places?
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Oh where are we going?
Speaker 3 (29:32):
Yeah, it's not an exact flip, it's more of you.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Know, Yeah, I actually like that better. I think it's
a legit slogan that they should be using because think
about that, like, where are we going is a pretty
strong question. I think it's a stronger than going places. Yeah,
don't you you're the one say.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
I think it works. I think it works as a companion.
I do feel like there is a car company that
has something similar. Is there somebody else who has a
question about like going or where to or something like that?
Speaker 2 (30:09):
I don't know. Just let's go place is the only
one that I see.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
Yeah, maybe not. Maybe I'm thinking of like something else,
So yeah, maybe that's legit. Toyota, jump on it.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
Where are we going? We could do that with almost
every single tagline. I gotta be honest.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
I know it's pretty fun. Sometimes it's hilarious. Sometimes it
actually works, so it's fun to play with the takeaway here,
I think Patrick, you're looking to breathe new life into
a marketing or advertising campaign. One way to approach it is,
can we flip it? Can you take what you've done
and turn it upside down? To approach it from the
(30:46):
opposite direction. That's a declaration. Try turning it into a question.
If it's a question, turn it into a command rather
than starting from scratch, find a way to reframe it
in a surprising, thought provoking way. That's it. Anything to
add there.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
No, I love it. Flip it, flip it. I've noticed
people saying this a lot lately, flip the script. I'm
not a big fan of that phrase, but I like
I like flip it.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
If you want to go the extra mile, you could
smack it up, flip it and rub it down.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Yeah, that's the way I prefer to do it. If
I'm just being honest. Yeah, Well, I think that's all
there is to say about that, and that's all for
today's episode. You can find current and past episodes of
the podcast on Speaking Human dot com.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
We'll be back in two weeks with another episode of
Speaking Human Catch You, then Humans
Speaker 1 (31:49):
Speaking Human
Speaking Human.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Today. On Speaking Human, we risk agony, defeat, and heartache
to share our thoughts on Nike's reimagining of the brand's
iconic just Do It campaign for a new generation.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Speaking Human.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Welcome to Speaking Human, where we simplify the world of
marketing for humans. I'm Shad Calmly and with me is
my co host Patrick Jebber. You know, sometimes Patrick, I
don't know if I can do this podcast. I don't
know if I have it in me, and then I
think to myself, just do it, and here I am.
(00:51):
It's it. It's all it takes.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Yeah. I often just say why do it?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
I say, just do it, and you're like, but why
do it?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
You're like, Jeff, let do it.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
So, speaking of just do it, how about some Nike
related trivia, how's that sound.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Oh, I'm psyched for Nike trivia. This is gonna be
a gonna be good, I think, Yeah, I think so.
I think this will be good for you. Yeah, it'd
be good for my ego, my humility.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Always trivia always a boost for you, always brings you up.
So here we go.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
A couple questions for you. First, one multiple choice. Of course,
we want to make it easy for our listeners out
there who are playing along, not for you. You don't
need these answers, but they might. So Question one. What
unexpected real life event inspired Nike's iconic just Do It slogan?
(01:47):
Was it a a motivational speech by Muhammad Ali b
a slogan from an Olympic gold medalist, C A line
from a Hollywood movie, or d the final words of
a convicted murderer.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
This one's easy. It's the final words of a convicted murderer.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Yeah, you got one that's hard to believe. Right, it's
very surprising.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
If you don't know it, you're probably like, say what,
But yeah, Nike's just do It slogan was inspired by
the final words of convicted murderer Gary Gilmour, who said
let's do it before his execution in nineteen seventy seven.
A detailed Nike's co founder Dan Widen intentionally kept quiet
(02:34):
for decades understandably yep. So one for one, Patrick feeling good?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Not really, because if that was the easy one, I'm
not going to succeed on the next one.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Well, I think you can get this one too, Okay.
So question two, who was featured in the first Nike
commercial to use the just do it slogan in nineteen
eighty eight. Is it a female marathon or Joan Benoy Samuelson.
I'm sure I butchered that real good b NBA All
(03:06):
Star Michael Jordan, ce eighty year old runner Walt Stack,
or d pro football and baseball player Bo Jackson, very
good at Techmobile. Bo Jackson, he.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Was Bo Nos Techmobile Bow Nos. I'm gonna say no
on Bo because Bo was Bono's. I think Bo was Bonos,
so I don't think it was him. I'm sort of
leaning towards either Michael Jordan or the marathon.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Or Joan Benoy Samuelson.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah, I just I just wanted you to say it again.
I wanted to try get you to pronounce it again.
What year was it? It was eighty eight, right.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Yeah, nineteen eighty eight.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
I'm gonna say. I'm gonna say it's the marathon, or
even though I think it's Jordan.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
It's not the marathon.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Okay, So it's Jordan, it's not Jordan's. Oh, it's it's C.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
It is C. It's eighty year old runner Walt Stack. Okay,
speature jogging across the Golden gate Bridge first ever, just
do it?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
At see, I would have gotten it wrong three times over.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yeah, but you know you only got it wrong once technically,
so you're fifty fifty coming out of here.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
I felt pretty good that I eliminated Bo because I
know Bo knows and that was a Nike.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Bo could have known two things.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Eh, but what DoD he have just done it? Probably not.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
He's like, if my name's not in it, I'm not
doing it. Yeah, He's like, why do it?
Speaker 2 (04:40):
And that leads in nicely, I think, because obviously we're
talking about just do it, which is Nike's very, very
famous slogan. But this is also has a lot to
do with their very recent launch of the why do
It campaign.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
It was a little walking why do it?
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Why? This campaign doesn't just tweak its iconic slogan, it
flips it what some might call a full blown cultural commentary.
So just do it. As you mentioned, it's been around
with the Nike brand since nineteen eighty eight. It's been shouted,
it's been whispered, it's been stitched onto the backs of
(05:23):
the world's greatest athletes. It's simple, it's commanding, and it's timeless.
But in twenty twenty five. You know, we're in a
different world now than nineteen eighty eight, and sometimes trying
too hard in twenty twenty five is seen as cringe
as the kids say.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
So.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
This new Marquee spot, the why Do It campaign, is
narrated by Tyler the creator Guys Don't Know, It's a rapper,
and it features an all star cast of Lebron James,
Caitlin Clark, It's Goin Barkley, Vinnie Junior, Ray So Lil,
I think that's how you say, and the entire Real
(06:05):
Madrid squad. The campaign directs the language at this cringe
culture of trying too hard, but in visuals these are
people who are trying really hard. So the ad challenges
that idea though, and it's saying do it anyway ultimately,
so Nike's Nike depends on how you like to say it.
(06:26):
We've talked about this a million times on the show.
The chief marketing Officer, Nicole Graham said the campaign is
part of a larger shift and the company is reorganizing
its marketing around specific sports again, basketball, football, soccer, skateboarding
to reconnect with both elite athletes and everyday players. So
(06:49):
that's a big part of the why Do It campaign
and what they're trying to achieve, balancing that legendary status
of stars like Lebron with the relatable hustle of ordinary
athletes like you and me shed you know, yeah, the
ordinary athletes pushing ourselves daily on this podcast, maybe weekly.
According to Fast Company, the campaign has great potential to
(07:10):
combat the impacts of cringe. It's a real thing, like
people talking about the cringe. Some branding experts believe it
could help Nike better resonate with younger audiences who prioritize
purpose over performance. So while the just do It campaign
or the just Do It tagline isn't going away, Nike
(07:31):
is clearly evolving and acknowledging in this day and age
that you know, motivation looks different than it did in
nineteen eighty eight. So that's a little background too what
we're talking about today Nike.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Yeah, No, that's good. That's a good like preamble of
information on how we got here and what this campaign
is trying to do. All that being said, let's dive
into why do it?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Why do it?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
The great question of our time? Does this work for you?
The big question? Patrick, what do you think is this working.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
I'm not in love with it. I'll say that I
think I'm fine with it, but I'm not in love
with it. What do you think?
Speaker 3 (08:11):
I think for the most part it works. It's a
simple but clever recalibration. It's also a little bit of
a trick. We'll get into that a little more. I'd
want to blow that up right now. But for the
most part, I think it works in the way almost
most Nike marketing works, you know, plays kind of like
a sports movie, makes you want to lace up, gets
(08:32):
you kind of inspired, gives a jolt back to that
iconic slogan that still kind of plays, but it's also
become so much of an icon it's a little bit
of background now. I think it works for the most part.
But I think I sound kind of like you. I'm
not really over the moon about it.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Mm hmm. I don't know if it was a combination
of the voiceover, or if like the way it was
voiced over, or if it was the shots, Like I
felt like they could have played with it a little
bit more and it might have been better for me.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Maybe I'm with you on that. I think when I
was saying that kind of felt like standard issue Nike.
That's kind of mostly what I was talking about, not
a bold reimagining. It feels like a Nike ad that
you've seen many times before, which are always good and
well executed. But it doesn't feel any different than what
(09:25):
we've seen many times before.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Yeah, and I think today brands are having a real
hard time for the most part, So yeah, I kind
of get it why they would do that. The other
part is it should feel like a Nike ad, but
also like it's kind of like one of those things
where you hope for a little bit more, You hope
for something that just a little bit different that you go, Oh,
I like that, because it could come across a little
(09:50):
bit more clever and playful if done a little just
a little differently, you know, not anything strikingly different. But
I think there was something there that they missed maybe.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Yeah, I think I'm there on that. I think like
hearing about the campaign, you know, reading a little bit
about it, and then watching the commercial, maybe my expectation
thought there was going to be something a little bit
more than what we got there, Yeah, to kind of
throw in, you know, something I will say that I like,
or I think is pretty brilliant. Here the shift from
(10:23):
just a declarative sentence yeah or command if you will
to a question that's pretty brilliant.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Yeah, not a lot of work on.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
The back end, but you know, it seems like it's
making a big impact. You don't have to change much,
just a couple of words, you throw a punctuation mark
on there, and bam, you got something fresh. I like that,
you know, I was even trying to think of my mind.
I'm like, okay, if we got just do it, and
then we moved to why do it? What is going
to be our third iteration in another forty years? And
(10:54):
maybe it's don't do it? Where it's like a little
reverse psychology, yeah, Catigonia style, where they're like, don't do it,
You'll never succeed, you can't make it.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
I think they did something similar in one of the
ads where it was like Serena Williams.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Or somebody was voicing it over.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
It was kind of like it felt like that, you know,
kind of a negative tone they said you can't do
it or something like that.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Mmmm. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
I mean it's a good point, though, you could really
play with that to the endth degree. So things that
I like or don't like about the campaign. Mm hmm,
I broke it into threes. I think you're gonna love
these because they're also a literative alliterative.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Well, who doesn't love of three things? Lay it on me?
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Number one posing? What do you mean by posing? Patrick?
Speaker 3 (11:40):
Yeah? What do you mean?
Speaker 2 (11:41):
The idea of posing the question to me is a
way for them to play with the original tagline. But
there's no need to make this long term commitment. That's
kind of the beauty of it is like this one off.
So they're just kind of posing this question and the
cam pain only works. Posing the question only works because
(12:04):
of what came before, because it's not strong without it right, Like,
this question doesn't mean anything without having.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
The forty years of history that came exactly just do
it right?
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Yeah, So I like that. Number two pressuring? What do
you mean, Patrick? Why are you bringing all this posing? Pressuring?
Sounds like you're just trying to be creative. I am
a little bit. I'm trying to be creative. So the
idea that the original tagline was a type of mandate
or outcome they mentioned, it feels a little like this
(12:37):
thing that was demanding right the way that they sort
of position that feels a little bit like BS. The
way they describe it, like in the news room, it
feels like marketing spin to me, do athletes today because
they say this, do athletes today really feel more pressure
than athletes who came before. Maybe maybe the social pressures,
(13:00):
social media, that kind of thing could be a little
bit harder than back then. But I don't think it's
entirely true, And I think you can simplify it to
one word, which will be number three. But this is
what they say right film striking message speaks directly to
today's athletes who are growing up in a world where
trying and failing can feel daunting, where taking a leap
(13:20):
feels harder than ever, and where the temptation to quit
is louder than any reason to keep going. That's kind
of like everybody like for all time. I don't think
that there's any difference today than there has ever been
with that feeling. So I feel like that pressure for
them to like create a reason to do it feel
(13:40):
a little bit like BS. Then they led to pandering
because they're pandering to this new generation. So number three
is pandering. It feels like they're pandering to the new
generation and that's not a bad thing. I mean, I
get you have to do that. You know, as they
mentioned in their newsroom, it's designed to meet young athletes
where they are. The campaign reframes greatness as a choice,
(14:04):
not an outcome, handing just do It to today's generation
and emboldening them to write the next chapter. I think
giving them some sense of ownership right in the just
Do It campaign, which came way before them. It's a
good idea, you know, it gives them a fresh place
to start. I mean, I feel like that's the goal
of any brand, you know that's had the same tagline
(14:25):
for almost forty years, right, So, I feel like there's
this like these three things that I noticed that were happening, posing, pressuring,
and pandering. What do you think of that?
Speaker 3 (14:34):
No, those are good And I'm glad you even called
out that quote. You know, I was trying to think
in my mind how this actually works to connect more
with younger generations.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
M hm.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
And you kind of like stated that, you know, isn't
this every generation? I guess they're like putting it on them,
like it's harder for you than it's ever been before.
Even if that maybe BS, Yeah, you know, maybe everybody
wants to feel that way, like, hey, it is harder
for me, that's so sure.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
There.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
I looked at this and I was like, is this
really gonna connect with younger generations? My one thought was like,
maybe if YouTube and TikTok had proven anything, it's this
generation loves kind of a challenge and maybe reframing it
as like why do it is more of, you know,
a challenge versus the command. Maybe that's the idea here,
But I had trouble connecting how this is better for
(15:23):
the younger generation piece. That part did not totally come
together for me.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Yeah, we're getting to the point now, right, A, we've
been podcasting for thirteen years, and B we're a couple
of older guys, and maybe this is where we're at.
Like I don't see it because I'm too far outside
of the bubble. Yeah, and therefore, you know, whatever I say,
a young person is going to be like, okay, boomer, right,
(15:48):
And I get that, And I do get that if
it does speak to them, it's surprising to me other
than the fact that, like they're seeing all these greats
which inspire everyone, right, no matter what age athlete you are.
You see Lebron or you whatever, in whatever sport you
see that person who you aspire to be, Like, yeah,
(16:09):
that speaks to me, But I don't know how the
changing the slogan does that.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Yeah, I alluded to in the beginning that this is
a little bit of a trick, a little bit of
smoke and mirrors.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
M M.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
I feel like Nike is making it seem like they're
blowing this out, like they're doing something bold and significant,
when really they're not doing all that anything, all that different.
I mean, the new ad ends would just do it.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
It's like a vintage Nike ad that ends would just
do it. So just because you're incorporating this, why do
it messaging? I don't know. And then you're like positioning
it out to the world as, Hey, guess what we're doing.
We're changing up our pitch something different.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Now.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
They moved a few characters around at a doc and
did a lot of work convincing us they're doing something different.
But then when you see the product, it's kind of
the same. Yeah, and it is very much like you
said down the middle. You're seeing like Lebron and these
other like famous athletes, and it's inspirational, it's good. Again.
I'm like mostly positive on it, but I feel like
(17:11):
it's being sold as more than it actually is.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Yeah, which that's the spin and I get that. That's
why I say, sometimes whenever you're trying to justify something
a little bit of the BS that goes along with
it to try to justify it, some people can see
through that. That's all I'm saying. Some people can see
through the BS, you know, and see it for what
it actually is. I mean, who am I to judge? Like,
did I do anything for Nike lately?
Speaker 1 (17:35):
No?
Speaker 2 (17:35):
I don't have the cred of a Nike level client,
so I can't say, hey, you could have done something
amazing and something much better. I mean I think you can.
But it's okay for what it is in my opinion.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Yeah, and they've inflated it pretty well. Actually, it's kind
of impressive in that way. It's just one of those
things when you kind of put it under the microscope
a little bit, you start to see the seams m hm,
and you're like, you know, if you know what to
look for, You're.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Like, hmm.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Interesting. So this kind of you know, brings up an
interesting facet of this.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Just do it?
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Obviously one of the most iconic tagline slash ad campaigns
of all time, As you mentioned almost going on forty
years here a little under that, do you think that
makes the job of the Nike marketing team easier or harder?
You're like cemented to just do it essentially, I mean,
I can't imagine they're just going to scrap it. Do
(18:31):
you think that makes their job easier harder? You know,
what are the kind of challenges and opportunities of marketing
in the shadow when you're suctioned two? Just do it.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
It's a double edged sword, right, I think it's easier
and harder, And I know listeners you love it when
I do this. I like I basically I'm pandering to
both sides. Right, It's easier to play off the original
now that is has iconic status, and that's mainly because
of the recall and recognition. Right, it's easier to play
(19:03):
off of that. This wouldn't be anything without that, it
couldn't exist, or it could exist, but it wouldn't mean anything.
It would just be like why did they ask the question?
You know, But it's harder because of the generations of
people who have experienced the history of the brand's message.
And what I mean by that is like people feel
(19:24):
a connection or a personal relationship with it. I'll use
an example, a more recent example. Take the history of
the cracker barrel and that controversy. Was the business out
there trying to offend people, not in the slightest. No
business goes out there and goes, you know what, I
want to alienate all of my customers. Did they clearly
(19:46):
because people were upset about the changes enough so that
the brand reverted and abandoned all of their efforts to
refresh the brand. It's that connection that people have with
the thing that came before. That's what makes it hard,
because you have to be very delicate, you have to
be very conscientious. I think that's why they tended to
(20:07):
be really safe. I mean, maybe that's not going to
be it for all time, if they're still going to
play this campaign out, But I think that's really the
meat and the potatoes of it is it's easier and
harder at the same time.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Yeah, to me, it's like having an older brother who's
a star quarterback. You know, how can you ever really
live up to that? It's almost impossible. At the same time,
you're kind of working from the top. You know what
I mean, you already have that in your DNA, so
it might be less exciting than trying to build something
big from scratch, but you already have it. Most companies
(20:44):
spend decades trying to get where Nike's already got to,
and you're kind of just starting right from that platform.
I will say it does seem a little bit like
Nike's been coasting, you know, resting on the laurels a
little bit. According to the data firm Tracksuit, the company
shifted marketing resources away from brand building and culturally relevant
(21:05):
campaigns toward performance marketing, which caused a decline in Nike's
quote unquote brand heat as it's lost its connection with
consumers who no longer saw themselves in the brand. I
mean the company's sales, you know, we haven't really mentioned
that they're down significantly this year. Yeah, so Nike's in
a little bit of a funk. And you could say,
(21:28):
I think there's a lot of factors involved in that,
but I think the marketing is probably one of them.
You know, I don't know if they're going as hard
as they have gone in the past.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
I was reading somewhere last year that they were talking
about that they're trying to come back from sluggish sales,
and you know, there's numerous factors that play into that.
I think a lot of that comes back to, you know,
brands that have been around that long. You know, they
become sort of a staple. Like brands themselves can become
comfortable or maybe complacent. Custom also sort of become that too.
(22:02):
There's not like the spark of creativity and excitement that
you get when it's kind of a new brand and
you're like, yeah, it gives me goosebumps, right, the brand goosebumps.
Like when you have a brand that's been around for
a long time, it doesn't do that anymore. It becomes comfortable.
It's kind of like I'm gonna go ahead and put
(22:23):
on that nice cozy sweater to go to bed, ind
you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Yeah, And you're right, Nike I think has to be careful.
They don't want to become like the grandfather of running shoes, right,
which they are, but they don't want to become that
in terms of perception.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Yeah, because that's a slippery slope. Then you're not the
ones who are innovating. People are always going to gravitate
towards the shiny new shoes quite literally in this case.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Yeah, so it'll be interesting to see where they kind
of go from here and where this campaign takes them
from here. We don't know, we're just seeing this first
a taste of it. Well, Patrick, it's that time.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
I love this time of the podcast of the year podcast.
I don't know, it's not a year.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
You're ready then? You ready for a little mind thundering.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
I love some mond thundering.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
So right now, what we're gonna do is, you know,
taking some inspiration from what Nike has done, We're going
to try to think how could some other iconic slogans
be rebooted in a similar manner, How could they go
from maybe more of a statement to a question. The
example I think you threw out, Patrick was McDonald's I'm
(23:41):
loving it becoming am I loving it?
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Yeah? When you say it like that too, you know
it's so good. This is fun because you know, basically
what we're going to be doing is a lot like
what Nike did, you know, just changing it up, just
slightly shifting it, as they say, reimagining it or reimaging it.
So what are you going on the docket?
Speaker 3 (24:07):
So I have a few here. Let me throw this
one out to you first. So we know the classic
KFC tagline finger licking good, which I don't think they
actually use anymore. So KFC's finger licking good, you know,
I converted into is it really finger licking good? And
then you got to try it?
Speaker 2 (24:28):
I like this because whenever you ask the question, naturally
you're gonna try to answer it.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
Yeah, you want to know the answer, is it really
finger licking good?
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Is it.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Well? And you could show the chicken and you could
be like, is it really? And then it's like, well,
you got to try it and see if you lick
your fingers afterwards.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Oh yeah, yeah, I like it. I like it. I
have one is a diamond forever, and that comes from
a diamond is forever from de Beers, which everybody knows,
you know, the de Beer's diamonds. But I think people
will naturally go, yeah, of course diamonds are forever. I
mean I think so unless they prove that they're not.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Some sort of scientists would be like, well, actually a
diamond will last one hundred and fifty three years and
then start eroding. Now that's a good one. I can
see that working. Let me give you my sincere one
that I could see actually playing out. This is a
classic loreal because you're worth it? Am I worth it?
Speaker 2 (25:28):
That overlaps I had are you worth it? Oh?
Speaker 3 (25:31):
Okay? Are you worth it? Am? I was speaking directly
to the individual.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Yeah, yeah, I like it?
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Well you are too. I guess you're going with you.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Because you're worth it? You know? Are you worth it?
Am I worth it? When you like? I could see
that in a commercial, you know what I mean, Like
the person's going am I worth it? The problem with
it is it could be a derogatory question, you know
what I mean, because you're you're talking about someone someone's
worth right, a little insulting. It could be like a
(26:02):
cracker barrel issue all over again, you know, people getting upset. Yeah,
but a lot of these I think they they also
rely on intonation, you know what I mean, the vocal subtext.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
Yeah, definitely. And there's different ways you could even, you know,
play the same thing.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
How about the age old eminems melts in your mouth
not in your hands? And it could just be does
it melt.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
In your mouth not in your hands?
Speaker 2 (26:26):
I think this is a little too close to home though,
because we all know that eminem's melt in your hands,
especially the given the right circumstances.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Well maybe they come out with an eminem that does
not melt in your hands. Mmm, and then they challenge people.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
See, I think it could be kind of comical, especially
given the eminem's jokes with the characters, right, just kind
of going a step further, like does it melt in
your mouth not in your hands? And then you show
the person right their hands are chocolate because they had
hands of eminem's and it's just codd and the person
starts eating their hands but it's chocolate, and it could
(27:02):
be like a comedy type thing, you know. It's kind
of like when the one eminem eats the other eminem,
kind of like self cannibalism. Person just ate their own hand.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
Yeah, I've got one along the same line. So in
the in the candy category as well. So it's Skittles,
we on the taste the rainbow mm hmm. What does
the rainbow taste like?
Speaker 2 (27:27):
What does the rainbow taste like? What does a rainbow
even taste like? I think you need the even in there.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
Yeah, Skittles could have some fun with that. They do
some weird weird ads.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
They do. And that's that's a brand that definitely could.
They'd have fun with it. I think for sure. Listen,
I got a really good one here that I think.
Now I'm flipping the script as they say, got milk.
The original is got milk. This is got milk.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Period.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Yeah, change it from a question to a state where
is that? All the other ones that are changing him
to questions. I'm imagining two people in a restaurant, maybe
even a bar, of course, and one guy says the other,
what you got there, buddy, And the other guy says,
with total confidence, got milk? You know what I mean? Yeah,
(28:18):
say I'm going with that like just this, like no question.
You could start a movement with that, you know you could.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
I got another. I got another funny one. I think
it's kind of funny. So we know Old Spice got
popular with their tagline the man your man could smell
like But what if we twist that around to could
your man smell like that man?
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Could that actually happen? Probably not?
Speaker 3 (28:49):
Could your man smell like that?
Speaker 2 (28:52):
No?
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Nah? Nah?
Speaker 2 (28:54):
I think you could do that with almost everyone. And
I think it's fun when you have the one that
are already questions and you change them into non questions.
It's almost more difficult in a way because you're making
the bold statement, and the bold statement is sometimes harder.
It's a harder sell, so it'd have to be executed correctly.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
This is one I think is pretty good. You know, Toyota,
Let's go places, So then you flip it to where
are we going?
Speaker 2 (29:26):
From?
Speaker 3 (29:26):
What's their tagline? It's let's go places?
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Oh where are we going?
Speaker 3 (29:32):
Yeah, it's not an exact flip, it's more of you.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Know, Yeah, I actually like that better. I think it's
a legit slogan that they should be using because think
about that, like, where are we going is a pretty
strong question. I think it's a stronger than going places. Yeah,
don't you you're the one say.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
I think it works. I think it works as a companion.
I do feel like there is a car company that
has something similar. Is there somebody else who has a
question about like going or where to or something like that?
Speaker 2 (30:09):
I don't know. Just let's go place is the only
one that I see.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
Yeah, maybe not. Maybe I'm thinking of like something else,
So yeah, maybe that's legit. Toyota, jump on it.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
Where are we going? We could do that with almost
every single tagline. I gotta be honest.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
I know it's pretty fun. Sometimes it's hilarious. Sometimes it
actually works, so it's fun to play with the takeaway here,
I think Patrick, you're looking to breathe new life into
a marketing or advertising campaign. One way to approach it is,
can we flip it? Can you take what you've done
and turn it upside down? To approach it from the
(30:46):
opposite direction. That's a declaration. Try turning it into a question.
If it's a question, turn it into a command rather
than starting from scratch, find a way to reframe it
in a surprising, thought provoking way. That's it. Anything to
add there.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
No, I love it. Flip it, flip it. I've noticed
people saying this a lot lately, flip the script. I'm
not a big fan of that phrase, but I like
I like flip it.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
If you want to go the extra mile, you could
smack it up, flip it and rub it down.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Yeah, that's the way I prefer to do it. If
I'm just being honest. Yeah, Well, I think that's all
there is to say about that, and that's all for
today's episode. You can find current and past episodes of
the podcast on Speaking Human dot com.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
We'll be back in two weeks with another episode of
Speaking Human Catch You, then Humans
Speaker 1 (31:49):
Speaking Human
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com