How Nike's "Dream Crazier" Campaign Empowers Women Breaking Stereotypes: Social Media Case Study

Nike, Inc. is a multinational company based in the United States that is involved in the design, development, manufacture, and global marketing and sales of clothes, footwear, accessories, equipment, and services. The company's global headquarters are in the Portland metropolitan region (USA), in Beaverton, Oregon. It is a major sports equipment producer and one of the world's leading suppliers of athletic shoes and equipment. It engages approximately 44,000 people globally, and the company's market value was valued at $19 billion (€17,5 billion) in 2014, making it the most expensive brand among sports corporations.

Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight created Blue Ribbon Sports on January 25, 1964, which eventually transformed into Nike, Inc.

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on May 30, 1971. The business was called after the Greek goddess of triumph, triumph. Nike sells its products under the Nike+, Nike Golf, Nike Pro, Air Max, Air Jordan, Nike Blazers, and other companies, in addition to subsidiaries like as Jordan, Hurley International, and Converse. Nike supports numerous high-profile athletes and sports teams all around the world, using the well-known trademarks "Just Do It" and the Swoosh emblem.  Boost your Skills by learning: Digital Marketing
 
Table of Content:
Nike and Emancipation

Nike and Emancipation:
Simply do it. Dream bigger. This is the new marketing strategy used by Nike this year. Most notably, their Dream Crazier ad, voiced by 23-time tennis champion Serena Williams, was praised for going "above the brand" and connecting to the realities of women in the workplace and sports. People were moved by the advertisement and complimented Nike for promoting equality. While it appears that Nike has become a leader in the female empowerment movement, recent allegations by a number of high-profile Nike athletes suggest that Nike's recent focus on social justice issues may have more to do with capitalizing on the women's athletic-wear market rather than affecting female empowerment.

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Mary Cain, a 23-year-old pro runner who was once the fastest female sprinter in the world at the age of 17, recently talked with the New York Times regarding the abuse she endured as a female athlete at the hands of Nike instructors. Cain describes being advised frequently by the all-male coaching team that in order to go faster, she needed to get "thinner, and thinner, and thinner." Cain lost her period for three years and fractured five bones after being tutored by a staff that did not comprehend the difference between the male and female bodies and how they grow.
 
Cases of Nike's prejudice against women, such as Cain's, are not isolated incidents. Allyson Felix, one of the most decorated track racers of all time and one of Nike's most advertised athletes, breached her non-disclosure agreement earlier this year to highlight her difficulties in seeking maternity protection at Nike. Felix gave birth to her baby in November 2018 after opting to pursue the "crazy" ambition of becoming an athlete and a mother. Nike intended to pay her 70% less and expected her to remain at peak performance just months after giving the baby, according to the New York Times. Felix describes her experience with Nike as "heartbreaking," given that one of the reasons she joined Nike, despite the fact that she could have gone somewhere for more money, was due to the inspiring principles they claimed to promote.

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This disturbing culture of mistreating female employees has deep roots within the firm. Employees described "staff outings that started at restaurants and ended at strip clubs" in a 2019 New York Times investigation, including bosses "who tried to forcibly kiss a female subordinate." Francesca Krane, a former Nike employee, stated that she realized "as a female, I would not grow in that company." She observed that males with lower qualifications were frequently promoted over women. Indeed, the difficulties raised by athletes and Nike workers point to a larger issue in the workplace: a shortage of female leaders in positions of power who are able to comprehend and advocate for gender-friendly working circumstances. According to Nike's own data, despite the fact that women make up "nearly half of the company's workforce," just 38% have earned "positions of director or higher," and only 29% are vice presidents. In other words, males continue to make decisions about athletes' salaries and working conditions.

In conclusion, for Nike's inspiring ad campaigns to be deemed true societal change, female empowerment must become the norm rather than a fad. However, attaining true empowerment is difficult. It entails hiring qualified women of all races to high places within the company, as well as ensuring sponsored maternity leave, appropriate pregnancy workplace conditions, and a coaching staff best suited to the needs of their athletes, even if it is not always the most profitable option. To put it another way, in order to effect change, Nike and other corporations must come to consider equal opportunity as a future rather than a marketing tool.
 
Nike, Inc. is a multinational corporation established in the United States that designs develops, manufactures, and sells clothing, footwear, accessories, tools, and services worldwide. The company's worldwide headquarters are in Beaverton, Oregon, in the Portland metropolitan region (USA). It is a prominent manufacturer of sports equipment and one of the world's leading providers of athletic shoes and equipment. It employs around 44,000 people worldwide, and its market worth was $19 billion (€17,5 billion) in 2014, making it the most costly brand among sports firms.

On January 25, 1964, Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight founded Blue Ribbon Sports, which later became Nike, Inc. on May 30, 1971. The company was named after the Greek goddess of victory, triumph. Nike offers its goods under the Nike+, Nike Golf, Nike Pro, Air Max, Air Jordan, Nike Blazers, and other brands, in addition to Jordan, Hurley International, and Converse subsidiaries. Nike uses the well-known trademarks "Just Do It" and the Swoosh logo to sponsor several high-profile sportsmen and sports teams all over the world. 

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