This Nike ad was first run in India. The famous Nike slogan "Just Do It" is painted on the side of a concrete building. At first the ad seems humorous - the little Indian boy is doing just what Nike is telling him to do. At second glance, the audience realizes this ad is showing more than just humor. We take a deeper look and realize the subject is in a poverty area. The dirty, dingy ground sets up the third world environment. The boy is also wearing dirty shorts with no socks and no shoes. Stray dogs are also, stereotypically, in poverty areas so it seemed right that Nike placed a stray dog next to the boy. When I first came across the ad I started to snicker because the immature person inside of me just saw a boy peeing on a wall, urinating in public. My position on the ad changed when I took another look. The subject of the ad has a reason to why he is peeing on the wall and it is not just because Nike "told him to." It is because he has no where else to go. He is in a poverty stricken area and the whole set of the ad tells us that. I believe the production of this Nike ad was used to raise awareness of the poor living conditions in India and other countries. It is not a typical ad to sell more products. However, the Circuit of Culture showed me that consumption of Nike productions could have gone up because consumers may have liked that Nike was supporting a greater cause than what color shoelaces to put in their newest collection of shoes.
That was an insightful way to look at the ad, however have you considered how ironic it is at the same time? NIKE has been widely accused and recognized as an advocate of child labor (NIKE, itself, does not publicly advertise this of course) in eastern, poverty stricken countries such as India or Pakistan, etc. Hundreds of children are involved in the “soccer ball assembly line,” making barely enough to survive on! I think it is hypocritical of NIKE to preach for a media-based “improve quality of life” movement.
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I was going to say pretty much exactly what Hailey said. Nike has been known to use child labor in their factories around the world, which makes this ad seem like a strange choice. I don't exactly understand what they were trying to say with this ad - they could be raising awareness for poverty, but I would think they would have a link to a website or... something. Something to explain what they're trying to say, because it makes me think of child labor in their factories.
ReplyDeleteThe above comments are most definitely correct. The view I have about this ad is exactly the same as theirs-Nike is a well know brand, and with well know brand names there is a sense of greatness, and of legitimacy that is generated in the public eye. Nobody wants to think of Nike as this terrible force that allows great shoes and products to be made by young children in impoverished conditions. The fact that this young boy is relieving himself is a symbol of the deeper matter. Nike may be well known all around the world and their products are very, very cool no doubt; but the fact of the matter is that one needs to think about who these products are coming from. The same pair of Nike's that you own most likely was made by an impoverished young person living in awful conditions on a wage that is incredibly unimaginable to you or I.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of the above comments. It is ironic that Nike would use a poverty stricken child when they have been guilty of child labor. It comes back to the theory that any publicity is good publicity. The majority of people will just look at this ad be struck by it and later refer and remember it as "the nike ad", forgetting any heartfelt message it was trying to portray.
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