Postgame, LLC’s Post

Jordan Brand vs. Adidas: some NBA Finals marketing knowledge and a look back at the NBA season of marketing. My newsletter is in the comments below: read & subscribe at the end if you enjoy it. #sportsmarketing #LinkedInSports

Every rule is just a story waiting to be told about why it exists in the first place. While controversial, many of Nike's bold ads have upheld their brand persona of pushing boundaries and sparking cultural conversations through their influential marketing voice on social issues, athletics, and more. It seems as though generating buzz, even if negative, has been part of their strategy for a long time! Check out how Nike made the IOC's week a nightmare back in the day! VO: Ibrahim Mir Edit: Arjun S L #nike #olympics #ambushmarketing #competition #marketingwars

Awaken Your Own Madness. Nike’s ad that fires up your competitive spirit - at least it did mine. Nike really knows how to put their athletes and products at the center of everything they do and when gearing up for a major sports event like the Euros, sports brands jump at the chance to show off their marketing muscle and connect with sports fans. Nike’s “Awaken Your Madness” ad is a perfect example. It highlights the crazy lengths their top athletes go to in order to outshine their rivals. What I love most about this ad is how the visuals and sounds fire up my competitive spirit as it lands with a strong message. While most of us might not be a pro athlete, there have still been times in our lives where we've got obsessed with learning something new or pushing ourselves to get better. Nike emphasises that this drive is what makes their athletes the best in the world and in turn we all recognise that within us all - the desire to be OUR best. If I had to end this post with a quote, I'd choose one from the late Kobe Bryant: “99% of the world is okay with mediocrity. You're chasing something so much bigger. How do you ever expect anyone to understand?” https://lnkd.in/e84Qia24

Nike's basketball sales soared 900% in the first year — here's the innovation behind it: It wasn’t just about signing Michael Jordan. It was about REVOLUTIONIZING sports marketing. Let’s break it down… In 1984, Nike took a risk with a young Michael Jordan, offering an unprecedented contract that included a percentage of sales. This move wasn’t just innovative — it was game-changing. Nike’s bold marketing, from the “Banned” commercials to leveraging Jordan’s on-court charisma, transformed Air Jordan into a cultural icon, driving massive sales of $126 million and setting new standards for athlete endorsements. So, how can YOU innovate in your marketing strategy? If this post sparked ideas, please share it and follow Dhawal Shah for more. #marketingcasestudy #MarketingInnovation #BrandStrategy #Nike #AirJordan #BusinessGrowth #SportsMarketing #CulturalIcon #AthleteEndorsement #MarketingGenius #ThinkBig

‘Just do it’ is of course famously associated with Nike. But how about ‘Just stop it’? A phrase probably not so familiar to those nice folks at Nike and all their many followers. But a phrase that can be equally useful in the right competitive context. Let me try to explain why. Wimbledon week has come and gone for another year, with champions new and old emerging. And at the end of each match, the winner having won the critical point had one thing in common. They stopped playing. Not one of them said, ‘you know what I’ve won but I’m just going to keep on hitting a few more shots for a bit’. Because that’s not the way tennis works, is it? You win you stop playing. No great mystery there. What is a mystery to me is something that you have probably seen at the end of presentations, that we have probably all been guilty of at some point (and yes, I include myself in that too!). It’s all to easy to not know when to stop. To stretch our tennis analogy a little further, you have the spectators (your audience) in the palm of your hand, you just closed off the game with a brilliant passing shot of that verbal line that has truly won your audience over…. And then … well and then you go round again ….and again. Adding nothing but more words and in the process diluting your argument and taking away the focus on your big finishing point. What should you have done? Just Stop it – while you were winning. But doing this is not always easy. It’s a real discipline that takes practice. What is the ace you are going to serve up to close off your presentation? Be really clear on it, and then practice it again and again until you are faultless (pun intended). And then on the day, unleash it and say not one word more … Just stop it. And that will deliver you championship point on your presentation.

Winning is not for everyone - says Nike commercial. The ads are also not for everyone - System1 results indicate that those with experience in sports relate to the commercial better. I think the Nike campaign is a build up for an another campaign. A campaign were amateur sportsmen will be shown as nice. Something among the lines "Winning is not for everyone but there's a sport for anyone." We will see. #advertising #nikead

What are the Educational, Health, or Economic Benefits to these Players and their Families for that kids uncompensated participation in any additional “NON-SCHOLARSHIP” private third-party postseason football games that pay the Universities and the Conferences for the use of their free labor to put on these highly profitable Bowl events. The answer is ZERO! These additional 1-5 POSTSEASON games are also above the Players’ 12 game athletic scholarship agreement? Our Proposal offers Major Benefits in all three Categories to the Players and their Families! Scholarship Football Players are owed Hundreds of Millions of dollars from this year’s Media contract that uses these Players’ Name, Image, and Likeness NIL without any equitable financial consideration to the Players or their Families! This lost Money could have a major impact on these Players lives, the lives of their current and future family members for generations? We do not support, or agree with the House vs NCAA Settlement or the current covert attempts to extend and expand this Antitrust exploitation of our young (mostly minority) FB & BB Players' labor that the US Supreme Court and Federal District Court have recently struck down as illegal and implausible.

'But it's also the ethical thing. The way Nike promote themselves and the way they behave are very different.' Interesting quote from this Daily Mail article on the shake up at Nike. https://shorturl.at/bpqrA #nike #sneakerindustry #sports #tigerwoods #sneakers #sportsindustry

⭕ Leave it to the Americans to take things to the next level. The ref was like Hitchcock out there. ➡ I have a suggestion, though. I mentioned recently that Major League Soccer 🇺🇸 has started doing in-stadium #VAR announcements, where the ref explains the #video review decision to everyone. ❌ But if anyone's raising the bar for fan engagement, it's gotta be the US. During a recent Atlanta United vs. St. Louis City game (1:1), the ref, Filip Dujic, totally stole the show with his VAR explanation. ⚽ The acting, the suspense, the plot twist... ♦️I don't know what you think of this whole thing (it does add some flavor), but maybe MLS refs will be able to leverage this for sponsorships in the future. Just imagine: 🗣 "After review, I can confirm there is NO penalty. The home team's number 9 took a tumble, which could have been avoided if he were wearing the latest Adidas Predator cleats, now with a special discount. No penalty awarded." or 🗣"After review, VAR has awarded the goal. No offside here as the defender clearly broke the line. This could have been avoided with a healthy dose of the "Power-Up" supplement, available over the counter. Buy two, get one free! Goal stands."

The Olympics are underway - time for some of the biggest brands to launch new brand commercials. I always love seeing these and even tho there are many brands active at the Olympics here are two commercials that stood out to me: 1. On | Roger vs Zendaya The ad features Roger Federer and Zendaya in a playful, competitive storyline playing at an On shop. Their chemistry and charm make the narrative engaging, while the high production quality ensures it’s memorable. This commercial not only captures attention but perfectly aligns with the brand’s image of elegance and sophistication. It's impressive how On has developed from a brand on the sidelines to take the spotlight with the finishing slogan "Dream On" almost reminding of a younger Nike. Watch it here: https://lnkd.in/dVsjXnjm Roger vs Zendaya.  2. WINNING ISN’T FOR EVERYONE | AM I A BAD PERSON? | NIKE "Am I a bad person?" that's the very first words the viewer gets confronted with. The new commercial follows world class athletes of all sports and is showcasing the sacrifice that the best of the best have to make to be the best. Yes, everybody wants to be like a Lebron, Kobe or CR7 but do you really? On the pitch and behind the scenes these people are ruthless, obsessive, highly competitive and so much more.. Nothing else matters but their vision! No time or empathy for anything else.  This narrative resonates deeply, showcasing that true victory is about focus and obsession, aligning perfectly with Nike's "Just Do It" ethos. The emotional storytelling, combined with high-quality visuals and a motivating message, makes this ad a standout example of impactful brand communication. At the same time, it's highlighting different sports & nations, making it perfect for the Olympics. Watch it here: https://lnkd.in/drC757t8  Which one spoke more to you? #commercial #nike #on #olympics #marketing #digitalmarketing