KICKS and Tricks: Discover how this athletic brand paid tribute to legends then and now!
unconventional and innovative marketing approach. According to Jay Conrad Levinson, this strategy often succeeds due to its cleverness and efficacy. Today, we'll dive into an ICONIC digital guerrilla marketing campaign to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a renowned sports brand in the U.S. in 2022. Excited to know more about this topic? Stay tuned as we uncover how this brand's strategy ignited the passion of sports enthusiasts across generations around the globe.
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KICKS and Tricks: Discover how this athletic brand paid tribute to legends then and now! Imagine stepping into a time machine not to visit a distant era but to witness the fascinating moments between the past and the present. That's precisely what Nike pulled off when it marked its 50th anniversary in May 2022. Who would've thought that a brief two-and-a-half-minute film could bridge the gap between sneakerheads, sports enthusiasts, and athletes from different generations across the globe? This scheme played out through Nike’s digital guerrilla marketing strategy called… The “Seen It All” Campaign!
"Seen It All" is a short film that paid tribute to all-time sports legends and moments people from all over the world couldn’t forget. The video spotlighted the greats of different generations, celebrating their contributions, potential, and passion. The video was directed by Spike Lee, a well-known American filmmaker and actor famous for his thought-provoking and socially significant movies such as “Do the Right Thing” (1989) and “Malcolm X” (1992). In a nostalgic twist, Lee also played a role in the ad as he brought back his famous character, Mars Blackmon, from his 1986 movie, "She's Gotta Have It." Actress Indigo Hubbard-Salk joined the ad as Zimmie, the young and hopeful lead in the video. Throughout the ad, viewers saw Mars and Zimmie have a conversation—or better yet, a mini-debate—about sports over a chess game. Mars enthusiastically recounts the famous faces and sporting events he’s witnessed over the past 50 years. Meanwhile, Zimmie challenges Mars by excitedly telling him about the future athletes and great sporting moments that the world’s yet to witness. Despite the past-versus-future banter, the two agreed on something. The ONE THING that these athletes have in common? “Yo, it’s gotta be the SHOES!” The discussion ended with Zimmie telling Mars: “Look OG, no disrespect, I know you think you’ve seen everything, but you ain’t seen nothing yet. Checkmate!” The “Seen It All” video was a nod to Nike’s incredible history and a big cheer for the company’s future as it celebrated 50 years in the industry. Over 40 legendary Nike athletes, both from the past and the present, were featured in the video. It's a star-studded lineup featuring superstars like:
… and more. The film wasn’t all that there was to the “Seen It All” campaign. In a behind-the-scenes image from the shoot, the two ad characters were seen posing in a pair of red, black, and white Jordan 4s and bright green Off-White x Nike Air Force 1s shoes.
This was posted on Nike’s official Instagram page. What else? Throughout May 2022, Nike also provided fans with exclusive content from the “Department of Nike Archives (DNA),” which included some of the most memorable and iconic artifacts from the sports brand’s history. Customers around the world were able to get a sneak peek at this carefully curated content. Was Nike’s “Seen It All” campaign effective? The sheer creativity in Nike's "Seen It All"—from its production quality and fresh storytelling approach to its striking visuals and overall execution—caused quite a buzz when it came out on social media. With the "Seen It All" short film spearheading the sports brand's 50th-anniversary campaign, the subsequent marketing efforts to expand the brand's presence that year, including social media engagements, live events, print ads, AR activations, etc., also became successful. Here are some results of Nike’s 50th-anniversary campaign:
Clearly, these results indicate that Nike once again hit the mark by embracing diversity and inclusion in its 50th anniversary campaign. By showcasing a diverse array of athletes in its ad, Nike mirrored the colorful tapestry of sports in the real world. Way to go, Nike! — A key takeaway from Nike's digital guerrilla marketing strategy is the ad's ability to evoke a range of emotions. The “Seen It All” video tapped into universal feelings of nostalgia, hope, success, and inspiration. Moreover, the feature of well-known sporting icons is a great pull, leaving lots of room for high social engagement. The DNA content also adds a feeling of exclusivity that sports and Nike fans love, acting as a reward to those who are loyal to the brand. In marketing, it is crucial to recognize the importance of emotional engagement as it can influence consumer behavior. In this case, Nike's ad served as a reminder that emotions play a pivotal role in driving customer actions, whether through making a purchase or aligning with a brand's mission. It’s your turn to think outside the box and witness positive marketing results for your brand that “you ain’t seen yet.” Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful. Do you want to know how this app company combined leisure and adventure in its guerrilla marketing campaign? See it in next week’s article! |
