Just Do It. Let’s be very frank here, and state the obvious. NOBODY does marketing like the shoe giant and athletic brand Nike. Their latest ad went viral last week, already approaching 50 million views. That’s a lot of eyeballs intentionally watching a tv commercial. “You Can’t Stop Us,” the commercial proclaims, and shows a series of side-by-side action clips from a variety of sports performances.
So what did we learn? How does this relate to the COVID-19 pandemic?
1> We’re all in this together. The ad shows a skateboarder in traditional Islamic dress, and as it passes thru to the 2nd half of the split screen, transitions into another skater holding a rainbow colored torch. You see the camera scan back and forth, switching perfectly between Venus and Serena Williams. The pandemic may hit some demographics harder than others, but nobody is immune. While it was once thought that younger and healthier people will almost riskless, we’re now seeing those groups become increasingly vulnerable.
2> Take precautions. You see athletes wearing surgical masks, and workers in hazmat suits spraying down seats in an arena. We should always remember to take the necessary steps to stay safe. Practice social distancing, wear masks, avoid large crowds, and stay away from unhealthy gatherings.
3> “We will always come back stronger.” And we will! Despite record unemployment, massive layoffs, historic GDP reduction, and widespread business closures, I firmly believe in this sentiment. New Orleanians pride themselves on resiliency, continuing to wear their efforts to get past Hurricane Katrina like a badge of honor. Everywhere you go, you see businesses and people willing to take precautions and necessary steps to stay in business, continue with their normal lives, and keep living comfortably in the face of the coronavirus. We are resilient, and we are willing to change to come back stronger.
4> Life is a team sport. If you’re like me at all, you’ve come to value the importance of your friends, family, and co workers more than ever before. My next door neighbor routinely spends his evenings on his front porch playing saxophone for the neighborhood. I’ve seen people offering to cut each other’s lawns, run errands, or make grocery store visits to those who are unable to do so for themselves. We set up Zoom calls to connect with our friends from college. Just like in the Nike ad, we need our teammates in life as on the field in order to really win.
Well done, Nike. YOU CAN’T STOP US.