Monthly Archives: June 2019

In the past 12 months, Nike has taken a clear stance on several social issues. The most notable issue they addressed was Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling during the national anthem. Their advertisement using Kaepernick’s face read, “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.” This advertisement sparked debate between those who supported Kaepernick and those who didn’t. Some consumers claimed they would no longer buy Nike’s products because of the political implications of the advertisement.

The next social issue they tackled was equality for female athletes. This campaign was far less controversial and brought in a lot of praise (as written about in our Call Me Crazy blog post). It motivated all athletes, male and female, and created positive buzz for the company. Any backlash from this empowering campaign certainly would have backfired on the person it came from.

Most recently, Nike tackled another controversial issue, as they are seeing from the response to placement of new, plus-sized mannequins in the Nike flagship store in London. New mannequins are hardly newsworthy, but these have sparked public debate.

Outfitted in athletic wear, the plus-sized mannequins caught the attention of many people. While many see the size of the mannequins as a positive, some see it as something very detrimental to the health of our society. Body positivity is continuing to grow and the media and fashion industries have really embraced all body types. The people that have an issue with Nike’s mannequins are saying that they are normalizing an “obese” and unhealthy body type. Tanya Gold, a reporter for the UK Telegraph said, “The new mannequin is obese, and she is not readying herself for a run in her shiny Nike gear. She cannot run. She is, more likely, pre-diabetic and on her way to a hip replacement. What terrible cynicism is this on the part of #Nike?” Sarah Berry, a reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald, responded by saying, “…our attitudes about bigger bodies and about “obese” mannequins say more about our health than theirs. This is because our fat-phobia is a form of hatred – a toxicity of mind – that is an epidemic.”

Clearly these mannequins have sparked a debate between those that believe we should be inclusive of all body types, and those that believe a line should be drawn when it comes to portraying what they believe are unhealthy body types. Nike has once again catalyzed a worldwide conversation, and most likely increased foot-traffic in their London store to see these mannequins.

It is the biggest sports brand in the world and has achieved great success, but Nike continues to insert itself into public conversation. Good or bad, there is usually something newsworthy going on with Nike. This is a great example of how effective public relations can keep your brand talked about in the media. At Kovak-Likly, we know how to get good press for your brand and how to navigate the bad press. For more information on what we can do for your organization, please call (203) 762-8833

In February 2019, Nike launched its “Show Them What Crazy Can Do” campaign. It captured elite female athletes in moments of great emotion when playing their sports. The footage was raw and relatable to both female and male athletes around the world. There are a few reasons why the campaign was so successful.

It is authentic.

Athletes tend to be very passionate about their sport and it can create moments of extreme happiness or disappointment. In Nike’s campaign, all of the footage was clearly real and the authenticity of the emotion was there. Actors portraying athletes would have been a poor choice for this campaign. Using real footage of real athletes created moments that a lot of people could relate to.

It is what the desired audience wants to see.

Female athletes do not get nearly enough visibility or credit for what they do. In fact, they are often seen as “too intense” or “crazy” and that is often how they are portrayed in the media. Nike saw this and used it to show that their intensity is purely out of passion and love for their sport. Just like male athletes, female athletes want to excel at their craft and put everything they have into it. Nike uses this campaign to acknowledge and encourage women to continue being “crazy” when it comes to athletics because it can make them very successful.

It is a topic that sparks conversation.

Nike took the portrayal of women in athletics as “crazy” and turned it into something very positive. When female athletes are discussed in the media, the focus is often not on their skills or athletic ability, but rather on their emotions or fashion choices. Nike took a clear stance in this campaign which is that women in sports deserve equality for doing the same thing as men. If that is seen as crazy, they should keep on doing it and show people the results. This got people talking and is a part of what made Nike’s campaign so successful.

Nike used authenticity, knowledge of their audience’s beliefs and values, and a thought- provoking message to create a very successful campaign. As a company, being clear in your messaging and values is important. As a public relations firm, we are very knowledgeable about creating the right message for your customers. For more information on what Kovak-Likly can do for your organization, please call (203) 762-8833.

Social media has been revolutionizing the way people do everything and public relations is no exception. It has changed the way PR practitioners approach their craft, and has fostered an environment where public relations can be more than press releases and media kits.

Social media gives PR practitioners an easy way of communicating with people and an opportunity to reach publics they may not have had access to in the past. By joining relevant groups and discussion boards on sites like Facebook and Reddit, they can introduce their client’s product to the people that would be most likely to use it. Groups and discussions like these also give practitioners an opportunity to see what the public is saying about their client and inform ways to respond to them. The conversation about a client can be monitored, controlled, and added to by the client themselves. Rather than reaching consumers through consumer-facing material, the interaction can be direct and genuine which increases trust in the company.

Nowadays, it is not uncommon to receive a message from someone via Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or any other social media platform. PR practitioners can use these methods to reach out to all of their target audiences. People appreciate connecting on social media to keep in touch. It gives them a way to stay in constant communication without even necessarily communicating directly. Not only does this include journalists, but potential spokespeople, or the up and coming social media connoisseurs known as “influencers.”

Companies will often reach out to people on their preferred platforms to see if they would like to be an “ambassador” or “collaborator” for the brand. These high-profile Twitter or Instagram users use their platforms to reach thousands, sometimes millions, of people. Working with influencers helps connect the client to large groups of people in a different and interesting way. One Instagram post or story mentioning a company reaches all of their followers and makes them want to use the product that company is offering because their favorite influencer is using it. This is another example of social media drastically changing the way public relations is done.

These are just a few, simple examples of how public relations is changing in the presence of social media. It may be overwhelming at first, but it can be incredibly useful for many companies. We can help you use social media with your company. For more information on what Kovak-Likly can do for your organization, please call (203) 762-8833.