The masterminds behind Nike know what to do with a catchy slogan that drives an insane amount of sales. Readers might be surprised to find out that “Just Do It” has a history of three decades. Back in 1988, Nike launched a campaign featuring various athletes, including Walt Stack, an 80-year-old marathoner who reportedly ran seventeen miles every morning. The athletes spoke about their achievements, no matter big or small, and talked about their emotions as they exercised and practised, which triggered a wave of responses. “Stories like Walt’s evoke an immediate emotional response in viewers and lead them to ask, ‘if these athletes can do it, why can’t I?’” said Blinkist.
“After the campaign went live, thousands of people submitted personal stories about times when they decided to take the leap and ‘just do it,’ from quitting their stagnant jobs to losing over a hundred pounds. The line became Nike’s emblematic tagline and continues to represent the brand,” SBU reports. The campaign was extremely successful and proved to be Nike’s best investment. Why? Because establishing an emotional connection with one’s target audience and sharing meaningful stories and values that are important to them guarantees customer loyalty. For every brand, it is crucial to work on outlining their values (ones that are not just universally shared but also specific to the brand), and reinforcing them through every ad campaign.