I played catch-up this morning with Second Nature Media during my shake-out on the trail with Episode 20 (link below). Loved the discourse that Dylan Bowman and Aaron Lutze shared regarding the Wieden + Kennedy produced "Winning Isn't For Everyone" spot they did for Nike leading up to the Olympics. I encourage everyone to watch/listen to Episode 20 and then share your thoughts in the comments on this thread or on the Second Nature page. Nike has been an interesting study in recent months (and over the past couple of years). Do I think they have had some missteps? Sure. And when you're the biggest player on the field, those missteps are going to be magnified and heavily scrutinized. Despite facing scrutiny from industry experts and trade media, they clinched the top spot as the world's most popular sportswear brand among 15-to-25-year-olds in 2023 by a landslide. That contrast between what the industry thinks and what is true for consumers is a very interesting tension to pay attention to. David Callahan had a great post two weeks ago going deeper on this very subject that I encourage you to seek out on his thread. Graphic design friends with bandwidth, pay close attention to the end of Episode 20 as it seems DBo and Lutze could use your help for a project they're working on together. Lastly, if you're currently a job seeker and interested in Outdoor/Performance sports, be sure to be following the Second Nature Media page for frequently updated open roles.
Renegade Running, Nike's Olympic Ad, International Expansion
https://www.youtube.com/
Great episode! Really glad it came across my feed. I gotta say, having just listened to Kara Goucher's audiobook on a long drive, the "winning isn't for everyone" tagline didn't land for me. Historically, "winning at all costs" has lead to some pretty disastrous outcomes for Nike. I think there are better ways to communicate that winning takes sacrifice without alienating customers. E.g. sacrificing sleep to get up and run at 4am before kids wake up, etc.
Thanks Matt. Not come across Second Nature before. Now added to listening list. Hope you’re thriving? Patrick
The world anxious awaits Sharkey’s first appearance on the show. 😉
Another great episode to dive into is from Brad Stulberg , a trusted voice in this space. Two big takeaways from their conversation. 1. Would you teach your 6year old to not have empathy? 2. Most of the athletes shown don’t have the mentality they prescribe in the advertising. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/farewell/id1505257676?i=1000664015289
Eric LiPuma - might be a cool design opportunity here
Content Futurist | Second Nature Co-Founder. ex- Red Bull, ŌURA, Abbott.
4moThanks Matt! It's always a fun episode when DBo and I are on opposing viewpoints, I'd be curious to hear where you landed on the discussion. If you haven't already read this article, I'd recommend it - it goes beyond some of the more cultural missteps and into the business decisions that likely caused their dramatic drop in Q3: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nike-epic-saga-value-destruction-massimo-giunco-llplf/