Shanghai.China-July 2021: Large NIKE store at night with many people‘s silhouette. American sports brand
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Nike is asking Gen-Z a whole new question about sports, one that is just begging to be answered. Just recently, the iconic shoe brand revealed a new slogan: “Why Do It?” augments but doesn’t replace the more famous “Just Do It” slogan. Reactions to Nike’s new slogan are already starting to appear on social media and YouTube.
The pundits have weighed in first, suggesting that the slogan is intended for a younger generation who tend to question everything, including the “try-hards” who are making an attempt at great things but just crave attention instead. “Cringe,” they often say when someone makes a big show of training for a track meet or learning lacrosse.
Interestingly, the way you answer the question can reveal a lot about your motivation and goals. That means it’s a masterclass in branding. Are you “doing it” for yourself or others? Do you care if anyone notices? Is it simply an effort to learn something and excel at a sport or is there a deeper, more nefarious purpose?
I love the new slogan because it challenges conventions. The “Just Do It” slogan has blended into the periphery and most of us just gloss over it now. But a question like “Why Do It?” makes you think about how you would respond. It begs you to supply an answer or at least examine the question a little more.
Appealing to the next generation with Nike’s new slogan
Gen-Z in particular tend to question everything. They seek authenticity and value trust. According to one study by Ernst and Young, 92% of respondents in the Gen-Z demographic said authenticity is more important than other attributes.
Younger generations have also been labelled as anxious, and rightly so. They are required to be “always on” with a phone in hand. Not responding to a text immediately is a sign of weakness or at least ghosting someone. On social media, you can try to ignore posts but doing so can lead to being ostracized by your peers.
It’s no surprise, then, that Nike’s new slogan is asking a question instead of making a statement. The slogan is an attempt to encourage participation, one way or another.
Recent attempts to rebrand have fallen a bit flat, including a major change at Cracker Barrel that did not catch on with customers. The company eventually rescinded and went back to its old logo. Pizza Hut had more success with a recent logo change.
Social media comments about Nike’s new slogan
Nike seems willing to make big gestures with their slogans, and the accompanying video is full of spectacular moments of achievement.
So far, the responses to Nike’s new slogan have been mixed or positive, based on several social media posts and YouTube comments on the Nike video.
Ad Age posted on Instagram about the slogan change, and the comments have started pouring in ever since. Commenters seem evenly divided so far. One said it took “true courage” to challenge a generation and “shake anxiety” while another called it a “terrible evolution” and an example of another major brand trying to appeal to a younger generation.
On X, the reactions have been a bit more negative. Reviewing several posts after the announcement, I found a few that questioned the question. One asked what Nike was thinking by using the new slogan, while others posted that it was a little blah.
YouTube comments have been more positive, some calling it genius and another saying the video gave her goosebumps. Another said it sums up the younger generation.
Of course, it’s too early to judge whether the slogan will be a success.
In the end, one of the best ways to gauge immediate reactions to a major change in branding or a new logo is to look at the comments pouring in. The reason comments are so valuable is they tend to reveal what people are thinking in the spur of the moment with no filter and no ulterior motive.
We’ll see if Nike’s new slogan continues to resonate—or just raises more questions.