Ever Wonder’s Post

🚀 Ready for a deep dive into the brand that changed the game—both on and off the court? Next week, we’re breaking down how Nike’s Air Jordan became one of the most iconic brands in history. 🏀👟 Our very own CEO and Founder, Brian Sena, along with John H., Marketing Director at AIB Merchant Services, will guide you through the bold moves and brilliant strategies that shaped this global phenomenon. Here’s what we'll cover: 🏆 How to Be Like Mike Find out how Michael Jordan became more than just a basketball legend and what makes his brand still resonate worldwide today. 🎨 Why Nike Bet Everything on Red Ever wonder why Nike chose that daring red colorway? We’ll dive into the gutsy decision that helped Air Jordan soar. 💸 The $5000 Fine That Sparked a Movement Nike paid fines for MJ’s “banned” sneakers, and it turned out to be one of their smartest moves. Learn how they turned controversy into a symbol of rebellion and innovation. 🔗 True Brands Leave Legacies Great brands don’t just make noise—they leave a mark. We’ll look at how Air Jordan built a legacy that influences everything from fashion to culture. 🔥 Game Gets Game Michael Jordan’s charisma and talent didn’t just win championships—it built a brand that keeps winning new fans, even today. 💼 The Deal That Changed It All Get the inside scoop on the negotiation that made history and set the stage for athlete-driven marketing as we know it. 📅 Don’t miss out! Link in the comments to register ⬇️

Nike's deal with Micheal Jordan redefined the relationship between brands and ambassadors. Really looking forward to the analysis of the deal and the implications of it for marketeers with my great friend John H. and Brian Sena for EverWonder. Details below about how to register. #brandambassadors #marketingmasterclass

Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign is a prime example of branding excellence. Launched in 1988, this campaign has evolved into one of the most iconic and recognizable brand slogans of all time. But what makes it so powerful? #Nike didn’t focus on just selling shoes or athletic gear—they sold an idea. Through emotionally charged messaging, Nike tapped into something deeper: the universal human desire for achievement. Whether you're a professional athlete or someone hitting the gym for the first time, the phrase “Just Do It” inspires action, perseverance, and overcoming obstacles. The success of this campaign is rooted in several key factors: The slogan is short, memorable, and universally applicable. It’s a mantra that anyone can adopt, whether you're on the track or in the boardroom. And that's #Simplicity. Over the years, Nike has stayed true to this message across all platforms, reinforcing it with #inspiringstories, powerful visuals, and partnerships with elite athletes like #MichaelJordan, #SerenaWilliams, and more. And that's #Consistency. Nike’s ads don’t just showcase products—they showcase #humanstories. These stories resonate with audiences on a personal level, making them feel part of something bigger than just a brand. And that's #EmotionalConnection. Nike’s #brandingstrategy shows us that a strong brand message doesn’t focus on the product itself but the emotions and aspirations it evokes in the audience. Actionable Tip: If you want to create a lasting brand identity, focus on crafting a message that’s simple, consistent, and emotionally engaging. It’s about connecting with your audience’s aspirations, not just selling a product. #Nike #JustDoIt #BrandMessaging #MarketingStrategy #Branding #ContentMarketing #DigitalMarketing #EmotionalBranding #Storytelling #MarketingTips

Brand building is more important than ever, and Nike’s recent misstep highlights the dangers of losing sight of what makes a brand unique. Bill Harper of BrandBossHQ discusses how Nike's shift from being driven by creative storytelling to a more numbers-focused approach led to a dilution of its core identity — and it's market value. This shows the importance of staying true to your brand’s mission and values. Differentiation isn’t just about being different; it’s about consistently delivering on your brand’s promise. The lesson here: never let short-term gains compromise long-term brand equity. #BrandBuilding #Marketing #Differentiation #Nike

In the world of branding, vision isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the heartbeat of your strategy. A strong brand vision defines who you are, what you stand for, and most importantly, where you’re headed. Take Nike, for example. Their vision—“to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete”—has shaped their strategy for decades. It’s why they don’t just sell shoes; they build a lifestyle rooted in empowerment, ambition, and performance. This vision fuels their iconic campaigns, from “Just Do It” to partnerships with top athletes, consistently reinforcing their brand’s promise to inspire greatness. A well-crafted brand vision ensures every strategy is more than just tactical; it becomes a living, breathing embodiment of what your brand represents. It’s the driving force that turns consumers into loyalists and companies into cultural icons. Without it, a brand risks becoming just another name in the crowd. #BrandVision #StrategyWithPurpose #BrandLeadership #PowerOfVision #FutureFocused #BrandImpact #BuildingBrands #BrandInnovation

In the digital age, the allure of tactical marketing can overshadow the crucial need for strong branding. Nike's resurgence highlights this balance. Through campaigns like "Just Do It," Nike leveraged emotional storytelling to forge deep connections with consumers, ensuring brand loyalty that digital tactics alone can't achieve. Remember, while digital strategies are essential, they should enhance—not replace—your brand's core message and identity. Invest in your brand's story to build lasting consumer relationships and market resilience. #Branding #DigitalMarketing #Nike #Storytelling #BusinessGrowth https://lnkd.in/g4xQficb

Building a billion-dollar brand requires more than just selling products; it’s about selling a vision. Take Nike, for example—they didn’t just create sportswear; they built a lifestyle. Their “Just Do It” slogan connected with millions by inspiring them to chase greatness. Nike’s messaging made their customers feel like they were part of something bigger, positioning themselves as more than just athletes. Nike’s success came from targeting driven individuals who wanted to push their boundaries, not just average fitness enthusiasts. Everything from their bold colors to compelling storytelling helped them dominate the industry. This is how the top brands stand out. I used the same strategy for a law firm client—transforming their brand with bold colors and messaging that made them stand out, even justifying premium pricing. Want to make your brand memorable too? 💬 Comment ""Work"" and I'll show you my past projects! #businesstips #marketing #branding #brands #advertisement #digitalmarketing #branding #brand #brandingtips

Is Your Business Brand-Driven or Sales-Driven? I have a deep admiration for strong brands, and Nike is a perfect example. Whether or not you’re their target audience, you know Nike exists. That’s because their focus goes beyond just selling it’s about creating lasting brand awareness. Many of us tend to only care about reaching our target clients. But if your goal is to build a strong brand, your priority should be brand awareness, which naturally leads to sales. A solid brand inspires loyalty and creates ambassadors who may not even be direct customers. Think about it: have you ever heard someone passionately describe Nike shoes, referencing an athlete they saw wearing them? Even if they’ve never owned a pair, their enthusiasm sparks curiosity and spreads Nike’s story. That’s the power of a well-built brand it resonates, spreads, and leaves a lasting impression. However, building a brand isn’t an overnight achievement. It requires: 📌 Creativity 📌Patience 📌Consistency 📌Clear definition of what your brand stands for So, is your business focusing on short-term sales or long-term brand legacy? The choice is yours! #BrandBuilding #StrongBrands #BrandAwareness #ConsistencyIsKey

🏆👟NIKE - The Goddess of Victory isn't feeling it these days. Even prominent brands lose their way once in a while, so I found this a compelling read to understand what's happening inside the organization and where they're headed to reinvent and restabilize the brand. It also serves as a cautionary tale for ALL marketers: 1. You absolutely CANNOT abandon brand marketing for performance marketing. I hear this discussion in my circles all the time. It's an idea that looks good on paper, but can backfire in the end. There's a healthy balance of both for every brand, and with improved brand measurement techniques, it becomes easier to understand brand health + effectiveness to guide budget allocation. 2. Integration - Integration - Integration. It amazes me that we still have to emphasize this. It's ESSENTIAL to place your ads, messages, and campaigns across multiple channels in the digital ecosystem for your target audience. Nike's example was a failure of strategy in placing new product content only on Insta. Remember that people need to see things 3+ times before they might take action - especially a new product that is looking for new followers/subscribers. A one-and-done is lazy. 3. Migrating from a retail to a direct-to-consumer strategy is a balancing act. It appears that Nike was too aggressive in driving more online direct business, at the expense of jeopardizing retailer relationships. Even as online shopping has exploded, this article fails to mention or recognize the vast breadth of new competitors that Nike has faced as it was accelerating the DTC strategy. Probably another plan that looked good on paper (streamlined efficiency, higher profitability, inventory control, etc.), but didn't deliver on what the consumer actually wanted + needed. Customers speak with their wallet. 🥇 🥈 🥉 I've seen their Olympics TV spots featuring the tagline, "Winning Isn't For Everyone." The video montage is cool, but not sure I love the tagline. But it made me think - which is what good brands do. What do you think of the spots? #nike #branding #marketing https://lnkd.in/gg2S456a

I was recently talking to a yet-to-launch brand that said they wanted to advertise like Nike. Why this is the wrong approach, and a broader lesson: Do not mimic companies that are at a different scale than you. This brand had not yet launched and was selling a novel product. And they said, hey, we want our marketing to be evocative like what Nike does. They said “Nike's never talking about their shoes." They're telling stories through athletes and people and culture and we want to do the same thing. We don't want to talk about the product. We want to tell this story and weave these narratives.” My two immediate thoughts: 1. That's extremely expensive to do.  2. Most importantly, Nike is at a completely different scale than your business. The decisions Nike makes around their advertising are not instructive of what you should do. Nike can spend $5M on a brand awareness campaign and not care to measure if any dollars came in as a result. Why?  1. Because they can afford to. 2. Because they’re a multi-billion, multi-decade brand that has spent those decades communicating the value of their products. So if you're in the range of doing $0 to $10M a year and you do want to find marketing channels or angles that work, then look at other brands in your space that are just a step ahead of you. So say you have a brand doing $10M a year, look at that brand that does $20M a year. You can profit from those strategies much more readily.