How “Just Do It” Was Conceived By W&K For Nike?

We all know Just Do It by Nike. But do you know its history and heritage? Learn how ‘Just Do It’ was conceived by W&K, and get more insights on Nike’s social strategy.

Would you call Just Do It a slogan or a tagline? A purpose or a belief? A mantra or the why?

More interesting is probably how W&K calls it. And how they conceived it. Discover the insights in below video.

My Opinion?
Many CMOs focus and rely too much on building their social media channels. I like the fact that they do it. But I sometimes dislike the fact how they do it.

Example of ignorant fan building? You are CMO at i.e. a Telco, Bank or Airline. Of course you’d like to brag on the golf course about your huge Facebook fan base.

Of course you will get kudos from your CEO, because your number of Facebook fans is higher than the direct competitors in your industry.

But, buying so many Facebook fans does not make a lot of sense if 50-70% of these fans are NOT even a client at your Telco, Bank or Airline, right?

What’s the use of buying fans, knowing that in fact these fans are not even a customer of your brand, products or services? If they don’t use your products, how can you ever expect them to recommend you? How the hell can they ever be your brand ambassador?

Example? If you are the CMO at Vodafone, why would you start to buy Facebook fans among an audience that has its mobile subscription at i.e. O2? Is it a smart strategic way to acquire and churn new customers? Or is it an ego thing to forget the fact that true advocacy can only come from satisfied customers?

Example? If you are the CMO at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, why would you buy Facebook fans among an audience that never flies with your airline?

What do I like about Nike?
One that they mostly start with building their owned powerful media channel, like Nike+. Two that they mostly try to offer customers that have bought their products a better experience, like i.e. Nike+ or Nike FuelBand.

Or how Hans de Leeuw, marketing manager at Nike once said: “Our fans on Facebook have started doing the talking for us. They shared running experiences and became brand ambassadors, propagating the new positioning of Nike Running.”

In my opinion more CMOs should go beyond their Facebook ego. It’s not about buying fans that are not using your brand or products. That is a lipstick on a pig approach.

My hopes for social marketing?
That more CMOs will ask themselves this question: How many of my Facebook fans are actually real customers? How do I target and re-target customers?

Do I use social advertising in the smartest way? Is social advertising about buying likes or should social advertising be smart, personalized and extremely relevant to be successful?

And with smart social advertising I mean serving the right social ad, to the right person at the right moment: “Hi Igor, going to Ibiza again? Nice if you fly with us, here’s a special offer for you.” That would be my hope for social advertising; Relevant and to the right persona’s.

The main message I’m trying to get across here? I would like to inspire CMOs to re-think their social marketing strategies. Simply because it is about the brand, a companies’ most valuable asset.

So try to integrate social and think about Social CRM. Think about which group within your Social NPS, would or should get your first invitation to join your Facebook movement?

Last but not least, should CMOs shoot with a tank to hit as many Facebook likes as they can? Or should they start and continue their social marketing programs with a sniper rifle, to target the most loyal and satisfied customers first?

I look forward to read your thoughts in the comments below. Nothing more inspiring than peer discussions.

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