Multi-media Campaign

Lebron James in Nike's Multi-Media Campaign "Rise"

Nike created a LeBron James “Rise” multi media advertising campaign in October of 2010. LeBron James is a two-time NBA MVP, who has been very successful in his NBA career. The campaign focuses on controversies he has faced off the court and speaks in his own voice throughout the commercial. By James speaking in his voice, he establishes credibility with the audience and is able to relate to them. Rise features several sides of LeBron’s personality: athlete, competitor, comedian and businessman. The commercial starts with LeBron in a chair talking to the camera. The commercial travels through different issues that LeBron has been apart of off the court and continually asks the audience “what should I do?” The film ends with LeBron driving to the net and saying in response to everyone, “Should I be who you want me to be?”        

The screenshot above is a collage of all the different scenes that LeBron talks through. Nike wanted to embody an advertisement that included text, audio and video by this multi media campaign. Rise was created by Wieden & Kennedy and premiered on TV on TNT on October 26, 2010, during one of the most highly anticipated games, the season opener against Miami and Boston. The TV debut followed the earlier presentation of the commercial on YouTube on October 25, 2010. The TV ad was seen on sports and entertainment networks including, TNT, ESPN, and Sports & Youth Cable, as well as MTV2 and NBA TV. “In Rise, we amplify LeBron’s voice,” said Davide Grasso, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing. “Were celebrating his courage to forge his own journey even when others may have disagreed with his decisions.” Grasso and Nike stood behind LeBron has he voiced truth to the public and his fans. Nike promotes the Just Do It spirit that defines LeBron and Nike as they are both trying to inspire young athletes to be all that they can be, regardless of the mistakes you make. 

Cause Marketing Advertisement

        One of Nike's largest cause marketing events was the campaign called LIVESTRONG. The campaign started with Lance Armstrong, won has won more Tour de France titles than anyone else. Armstrong was diagnosed with testicle cancer in October of 1996. The cause started with the iconic yellow rubber bracelets with LIVESTRONG imprinted into the rubber. The bracelets generated over $70 million for the Lance Armstrong foundation. From the start, Nike built LIVESTRONG to not only raise money for the Armstrong’s cause, but also as a popular apparel and shoe line. 

         The Nike LIVESTRONG advertisement was created through flash digital in 2004. The ad was seen in athletic apparel stores such as Luke’s Locker, Academy, Dicks, Finish Line, as well as magazines like ESPN, Sports Illustrated and many more. The purpose of the advertisement was to promote that “we” as a human race are all together. We all go through struggles, hardships, promising times, as well as, health and sickness. Nike wanted to promote the beliefs that someone going through cancer or an illness is not alone. Nike backs the people up and enforces the idea that humans are “more than one.” One of the truths this phrase holds is that we, as people, must stand next to each other as hardships and illnesses arise. We are stronger as a whole. Life was meant for We instead of just the individual. 

Event Marketing Advertisement

Nike Event Marketing Advertisement

NIKE'S FOREST GUMP

            Jason Lester was born just like any normal person. At the age of 12, he was riding his bicycle and when a car hit him. He had 21 broken bones, a collapsed lung and a paralyzed right arm. As he was recovering, he lost his one and only parent. What could have been the end of his story became the beginning of a journey. Since the accident, Lester has become an accomplished tri-athlete and the first disabled athlete to complete the Ultraman World Championships.

            Because of Lester’s recent success, Nike decided to sponsor him. The Nike advertisement was done through flash digital and was released online in April of 2012.  The ad was designed to sponsor Lester on his grand adventure of crossing America, both on foot and by bicycle in 102 days starting on March 12, 2012. Lester makes his final destination in Nike’s home turf, Oregon. Nike suited Lester with gear and equipment to help make this journey possible. He will be tracking his every move, until he reaches the finish line, through social media so that people can follow and support him.

            Nike promoted Lester’s journey because they recently reinforced the company’s commitment to sustainability, in a very public way. They released a campaign called Nike Better World, which stand behind athletes with some sort of need to help be successful performers. Jason Lester had a need and was supported by Nike. He creates his own journey for a Better World, as he travels across the United States. The advertisement promotes the message that a better world starts with sport. The ad encourages people to stand up and support Lester as he stops at 39 Nike Stores, sharing how “sport inspires, hope, instills discipline, raises confidence and rallies communities” (Miller*). The Nike ad encourages people to support Jason as he commits to serve the world and make it a better place as he inspires others. Jason has been tagged the nick name Nike's Forest Gump that stuck with him throughout the whole journey. 

Source:

*Mark Miller, writer for brand channel

http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2012/05/02/Nike-Better-World-Jason-Lester-050212.aspx

Digital – Online Display Ad, Advergaming or In-Game Advertisement

These Nike advertisements are in-game advertisements and appeared in sports video games.

Above: Basketball In-Game Advertisement

The first advertisement (above) is done through flash digital medium. The ad comes through with the basketball player holding a pair of Nike basketball shoes. He is pondering the thought of wearing these to make him perform better. Through the in-game advertisements, Nike is using product placement to advertise. According to Bloomsberg Business week, a study by Double Fusion stated “ in-game ads aren’t anything new. But what is: researchers are using biometrics to measure how and why in-game ads are grabbing eyeballs, quite literally.” Advertisers are trying to figure out if gamers are paying attention at all? Some are concerned that gamers are too “busy shooting basketballs and enemies to notice real world brands” (Fusion).   

Madden NFL Nike In-Game Advertisement

Likewise, the advertisement (above) is done through flash digital and appeared in the Madden NFL 12 video game on August 30, 2011. Madden was published by EA Sports. Nike’s swoosh logo is seen at the top of the screen by the text “leave nothing.” Nike is promoting that people who wear Nike apparel and equipment will give their best effort till the end of the game. Nike’s message is to persevere and to hold nothing back so that one can reach the highest performance level possible.