The swoosh.
On shoes, on shirts, on uniforms. On the big screen at Autzen Stadium and Matt Knight Arena, in plain view at Hayward Field as you stroll by. It lives on campus: big-hearted and generous, arrogant at times, but it never stops telling the story.
The story: Oregon runner believes so in his mentor that he finds a way to live the dream. He builds an empire, headquartered here in Oregon. The empire fuels economies, careers and more dreams.
We work, learn, walk and play where that story started. This is home, to us and to Nike.
Successful brands — brands that connect to people and grow successfully as they fuel optimism — need an honest story. It’s simple: a brand is an ecosystem alive with products, experiences, actions, messages, conversations all driven by the ongoing promise of story.
I like to think of the humanity in all that. Because they are fueled by people, brands sometimes screw up, don’t communicate well, even behave badly. The goal is to continue to solve the problems so that the story lives well.
Oregon brands are rich in this belief system that we can be and do better. Think of Leatherman, Columbia, Stahlbush Farms, Keen, Tillamook, Ninkasi, Cafe Yumm, or University of Oregon, to name a very few. There’s an Oregon aspiration in their DNA that is important: generous, trustworthy, authentic, adventurous, real.
Nike is no different. I admire that Phil Knight and his Nike dream still pay homage to tough-as-nails Bill Bowerman. I’m impressed and appreciative that Knight endows hundreds of millions of dollars for professorships, the library and law school, and the international visibility of athletics as powerhouse. As a brand strategist, I note the $20 billion brand makes mistakes, yet I know the ongoing work to fix problems in manufacturing, sustainability and cultural impact. I see their story at work.
At its core, Nike offers the promise to inspire and innovate. “Just do it” and “Find your greatness” are human aspirations I personally want my sons (student-athletes) and my students to use as part of their journey, on the field and off. We can all own what that suggests for the world, whether we wear the shoes or not.
Find your greatness, wonderful Oregon. Every day, every person, every classroom, every lab, every field. Just do it.
When I see the swoosh on campus, that’s my first thought.
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Deborah Morrison, Ph.D., is the Chambers Distinguished Professor of Advertising in the School of Journalism and Communication. She believes in the power of brands who believe in people and promises. Her creative work and research includes understanding creative process, talent development and innovation, and brands as cultural forum for social responsibility.