[How About This Book] Why Just Watching Nike Ads Makes Me Excited

"We don't sell products. Marketers sell stories."

This is a statement by Greg Hoffman, who spent 27 years at Nike, rising from a design intern to Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Overseeing 'brand storytelling' and 'consumer experience,' he helped create Nike's unique voice and identity. In his book The Soul Designer (Dasan Books), he shares the power of creativity and insights he gained while leading Nike marketing.

Nike competes not only in sportswear but also with so-called luxury apparel companies, ranking among the top global apparel brand values. The secret lies in the 'worldview Nike has created,' which Greg attributes to 'Emotion by Design.' Emotion by Design refers to the ability to create stories, images, and experiences that make people believe any dream is achievable. While marketing is generally just advertising to inform customers about products or services, at Nike, marketing was about capturing consumers' emotions through carefully crafted images.

In the book, Greg explains in detail how he designed consumers' emotions over a long period, the profound resonance it created, and the brand philosophy and principles that operated throughout the process.

One representative example is the infusion of the brand worldview. Before becoming CMO overseeing the marketing department, Greg first changed the name of the design team. He renamed the 'Image Design Team' to the 'Brand Design Team,' expanding the focus from image to brand. He presented Nike sneakers not merely as a visible image of 'fashion' but as a 'style' embodying the fierce determination to win, encouraging customers themselves to become walking billboards for Nike.

At this time, he focused on eliciting customers' emotions and introduced ambush marketing for the first time in marketing history. Ambush marketing is a technique that creates the illusion of being an official sponsor without actually being one. In 1994, Nike was not an official sponsor of the World Cup but gained advertising effects by interacting with fans around the stadium. While other sponsors spent huge amounts on indirect fan engagement, Nike achieved greater impact with much less cost.

'Storytelling' was also a unique strength of Nike. While competitors focused on product 'functions,' Nike concentrated on consumers' 'motivation' to create stories. By focusing on 'purpose' rather than 'what you do,' Nike achieved great success. A case in point is the YouTube video of Ronaldinho's 'Crossbar' shot. Ronaldinho wore soccer shoes specially made by Nike and repeatedly shot the ball hitting the crossbar without letting it touch the ground. The stunt-like spectacle garnered 1 million views. Although the video was actually edited, Ronaldinho's outstanding performance at the time sparked debates about its authenticity, leading to the first 1 million views even during YouTube's early beta service in 2005. This issue brought Nike tremendous advertising effects.

The anti-racism movement 'Black Lives Matter' also left a unique impression through Nike's story. As unarmed Black people were repeatedly shot by police in the U.S., Nike led the 'Black Lives Matter' movement. They released a campaign video titled 'For Once, Don't Do It,' a twist on their iconic slogan 'Just Do It,' urging opposition to racial discrimination. Messages like 'Don't pretend there is no problem in America,' 'Don't turn your back on racism,' and 'Don't accept the taking of innocent lives' received strong support.

Greg explains that the core of branding is becoming the obvious and only choice for customers, a presence they choose without hesitation. He emphasizes, "Even if our existence fades into history, our work must continue to exist. Just as young generations discover the value of classic literature, a brand's story must be continuously read. Such a brand story never disappears as long as there are eyes to read it. We must strive to create brands with stories."

He continues, "Repeating the same brand experience bores and annoys consumers. Our job is to add various colors to the brand's voice and play different tones when needed. A brand is not simply about selling products and services. To leave a legacy rather than just a memory, a brand must be humanized."

The Soul Designer | Written by Greg Hoffman | Dasan Books | 420 pages | 22,000 KRW