In the late 1980s, shortly after I grew out of my Velcro Roos (you remember, the shoes with the pockets), I caught the Nike bug. Everyone at school had Nikes. An older cousin gave me the Jordan Wings poster for Christmas. My best friend had the Jordan IV's that came out in 1989. I remember seeing Nike commercials as a kid, the “is it the shoes?” campaign featuring Spike Lee. Nike's ad blitz had a profound effect on me. Seeing the shoes everywhere, and their association with Michael Jordan, made me want them so BADLY!
Nike is good at marketing, from Bo Knows to Dribbling to Ronaldinho hitting the crossbar. Nike has made poignant commercials about LeBron James' decision to join the Miami Heat and funny commercials featuring puppets (Penny Hardaway and LeBron & Kobe). Nike has built its brand around successful endorsements, high-performance shoes, and powerful media campaigns.
