EVEN IN THE FACE OF CONTROVERSY, ‘JUST DO IT’

At first it appeared that Nike stayed true to its “Just do it” motto when contemplating whether to rekindle its contractual relationship with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick.  After all, who wouldn’t want to “Just sign” a player who has yet to play in a game since the 2006 season and is fresh off a prison sentence stemming from his role in a dog-fighting ring?

Yet, one day after Vick’s agency, BEST, announced that a new deal was struck between the disgraced player and the company, Nike was quick to refute the report, claiming that it had only agreed to supply its products to Vick and not have him serve as a sponsor or spokesman.Even though Nike reiterated that it has not offered an endorsement to Vick, the company has a long history, dating back to the 1970s, of teaming up with controversial players and running contentious campaigns.

In 1978, Nike teamed up with tennis legend John McEnroe to launch the “Rebel With a Cause” campaign designed to sell its tennis paraphernalia. McEnroe, notorious for his outbursts, was featured in commercials and billboard advertisements, many of which portrayed him as the quick-tempered, hot-headed player he was.Despite McEnroe’s tantrums and disorderly conduct, Nike still retains him as one of its primary endorsers in the tennis department, for which it released the Nike Air Zoom Tennis Trainer last fall.

On Sept. 11, Nike had to be thrilled to watch its star spokesman Michael Jordan achieve basketball immortality with his NBA Hall of Fame induction. Still, despite being arguably the greatest player in NBA history, Jordan faced some controversy during his career due to his endorsement deal with Nike.

Nearly signing a deal with Nike’s archrival Adidas after being drafted by the Chicago Bulls out of the University of North Carolina in 1984, Jordan ultimately chose to endorse Nike even though he had never worn the brand’s shoes before. A few months later, in 1985, Nike released the Air Jordan signature brand that still is highly popular today.

However, the red and black sneakers did not sit well with NBA commissioner David Stern, who banned the shoes from the game because they did not comform with the league’s uniform guidelines. With encouragement from Nike, Jordan ignored the ruling and continued to wear them, accruing a fine of $5,000 per game — which Nike was happy to pay in exchange for the publicity.

While “Just do it” may have a catchy ring to it, some of Nike’s other slogans have sparked debate and opposition. During the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Nike introduced an advertising campaign with the slogan: “You don’t win silver — you lose gold.”

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