Courage

Decades from now, I hope that Nike’s “Courage” commercial that will be remembered the way Volkswagen’s “Think Small,” Wendys’ “Where’s the beef?” and Apple’s “1984” commercials are thought of now. Though not as “breakthrough” in terms of edginess and novelty, it creates timeless universality among viewers.

This television spot, produced by Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, was first broadcasted on national TV networks before the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. The beauty of this advertisement is its appeal to all demographics- men and women, young and old of all races- brought together by sport.

The feelings evoked in this ad through competition and athleticism are not just found in sports- they are found in our every day lives. Dozens of images are shown in the ad. Scenes of power like Vasily Alexseyev, the “world’s strongest man,” is juxtaposed later by a scene of Derek Redmond, who tore his hamstring, unable to finish his race had it been for his father breaking through security to help him. Perhaps the most famous scenes of courage are those of Lance Armstrong during chemotherapy and later winning one of his seven Tour de Frances. You do not have to be an athlete for this to appeal to one’s sense of Pathos.

So what exactly is this TV spot promoting? There is no particular tangible product offered, nor is there a specific service shown to be paid for. The abstract service that this commercial is promoting is “courage,” and reminding people that when it is time for someone to “Just Do It,” Nike will be there. Whether “it” is your first marathon or your child’s first day of school, whether you’re an Olympic athlete or just a fan, Nike wants to be the brand in your mind when it comes down to accomplishing your goal with courage.


If you're interested in the other scenes from the commercial, visit www.nike.com/courage where it's broken down almost frame by frame.