Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ Tagline: History & Evolution
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The Dark Origin of Nike’s “Just Do It” Slogan
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The shift: From “Just Do It” to “Why Do It”
Nike began a new chapter of its own history this week when it tinkered with the slogan that has served it well for 37 years. Introduced in 1988, “Just Do It” was among the best known catchlines in marketing history, enjoying an 82.3% recognition rate, according to a 2018 poll by Survata.
If the change is a bold move, it’s also a measured one. ”Just Do It” has become “Why Do It,” but the essential component-“do it”-remains. This shift reflects a broader cultural trend, attempting to resonate with a generation grappling with anxiety and seeking purpose.
The Forgotten history: Gary Gilmore and the Origins of the Phrase
Mostly forgotten, though, is how it got there in the first place. “Just Do It” was an adaptation of ”let’s do it,” the final words spoken by spree killer Gary Gilmore shortly before his execution in 1977.
Gilmore, convicted of murdering a gas-station attendant and a hotel manager, famously refused all appeals and requested a firing squad execution. His final words, reported widely in national media, were chillingly simple: “Let’s do it.”
Dan Wieden and the Birth of a Slogan
Had almost any other ad executive pitched that one, it might never have made it out of the conference room. But in this case, the adman was Dan Wieden, cofounder of Wieden+Kennedy.
In 1988, Wieden & Kennedy (the plus sign would come later) was a six-year-old firm taking great care of its marquee client, Nike which Wieden and dave Kennedy had taken with them after they left rival shop William Cain. As Wieden recalled in a 2015 interview with design magazine Dezeen, by 1988, Nike had finally thrown serious money at a new campaign-and he’d been up all night worrying.