Personal Branding Wisdom from Nike
Four Essential Lessons from the Marketing Giant
Steve Jobs once said, “One of the greatest jobs of marketing the universe has ever seen is Nike.”
Nike’s influence on brands (and founders) is undeniable. I remember watching Nike ads for hours when I used to work in advertising. And I’ve never stopped watching them. But can their strategies work for personal branding too? Absolutely.
In this post, I’ve distilled decades of Nike’s marketing wisdom into four key lessons. Apply these, and you’ll be on your way to building an enduring and memorable personal brand.
1. Be True to Who You Are
Nike has always been loud and proud of their beliefs. If some people don’t care for it… so be it. The people who don’t share Nike’s beliefs wouldn’t wear Nike anyway.
Remember the Colin Kaepernick campaign? It stirred up controversy, but it also reinforced Nike’s brand identity. The Wall Street Journal reported that Nike’s stock fell nearly three percent after the ad’s release. Some critics even posted images of burning Nike shoes on social media.
But here’s the thing: Nike stood firm. They knew their audience, and they weren’t afraid to take a stand.
This rule holds true when you’re building a personal brand too. Authenticity is key. The goal is to find your tribe, and the best way to do that is to stand for certain beliefs and values. Once you do that, you’ll automatically attract people who share your values.
In personal branding, as in Nike’s case, it’s not about pleasing everyone. It’s about being true to who you are and connecting with those who resonate with your message
2. Show, Don’t Tell
When was the last time you saw a Nike ad? Which sneaker was it selling? Chances are, you don’t remember. That’s because Nike doesn’t go on and on about how good their products are; they demonstrate it through campaigns that celebrate the athletes who wear them.
When you’re trying to sell yourself, don’t just talk about how good you are. Show the work! Share stories, case studies, and your unique point of view. That way, your audience will learn who you really are behind that profile picture.
3. Be Open to Serendipity
Once you start putting yourself out there, amazing things are bound to happen.
Here’s a Nike story that most people don’t know about:
In the 70s, Nike’s tiny ad budget mostly went into one monthly ad on the back cover of Runner’s World magazine. These were your typical sneaker shoe ads. But in the fall of 1977, at the last minute, they weren’t sure if the shoe in the ad would be available in stores. So they released an ad the marketing director had previously discarded.
Under a picture of a lone runner sprinting down a country road, ran the headline: “There is no finish line.” No mention of which shoe the runner was wearing.
Guess what happened? Readers started requesting copies of that ad to hang on their walls. This one ad became a turning point for Nike’s brand strategy. The marketing team shifted their focus from product features to inspirational messaging.
So does that mean you have to wait for a lucky accident? No. Stay true to yourself and keep showing up. Be ready to make your move when opportunity knocks. Have a plan, but stay open to new directions without losing what makes you, you.
It could take the form of a client’s request to execute something you’ve never done before, or a collaboration request from someone in a completely different field. You’ll know the opportunity when it comes knocking. Just don’t dismiss it because it wasn’t part of your plan.
4. Just Do It
This iconic Nike slogan is perfect advice for anyone looking to build a personal brand. Here’s the thing — most founders and professionals I’ve met know personal branding is important. But they hesitate. They want to do it, but there’s always an excuse to put it off.
Why? Fear. Plain and simple. They’re scared to put themselves out there. But here’s the truth: No one cares as much as you think they do. Everyone’s too busy worrying about their own stuff to obsess over your content.
So whether you’re building a shoe brand or a personal brand, the goal is progress, not perfection. Take that first step today. Start now, refine as you go. Your personal brand won’t build itself. So what are you waiting for?
Just do it.
In fact, just do it right now.
Please share your personal branding goals in the comments.
