I just read a very interesting post from Cord at Marketing Hipster. It involves Nike and their new ad campaign slyly thanking the ignorance of Imus for promoting Rutgers, women's basketball, and female student athletes in general.
The full page ad displayed the following with the obvious Nike Swoop:
Thank you, ignorance.
Thank you for starting the conversation.
Thank you for making an entire nation listen to the Rutgers team’s story. And for making us wonder what other great stories we’ve missed. Thank you for reminding us to think before we speak.
Thank you for showing us how strong and poised 18 and 20-year-old women can be.
Thank you for reminding us that another basketball tournament goes on in March.
Thank you for showing us that sport includes more than the time spent on the court.
Thank you for unintentionally moving women’s sport forward.
And thank you for making all of us realize that we still have a long way to go.
Next season starts 11.16.07.
In a similiar layout you think their letter to Imus was something like this:
Thank you for your ignorance.
Thank you for starting the conversation.
Thank you for making an entire nation invite our logo into their lives. Thank you for the endless coverage of press conferences, photo ops, and ESPN stories in which the players proudly wore their team colors baring a beautifully placed Nike Swoop. Thank you Imus for providing brand placement in national media that even Nike cannot buy.
You can almost envision Imus in the studio with his next contract, sitting there in his long coat with his cowboy hat..what's that right beside his headphones...is that a Nike Swoop?
It's a swoosh, cuz. Good post, otherwise.
Posted by: pc,baybay | June 01, 2008 at 11:56 PM