Top Nike Ads: a Case Study on What Makes Them One of the Best

Nike is one of the most beloved sports brands in the world, but it didn’t reach that status just because its products are high quality. Nike is an expert at reaching its target audience where they are and showing them why Nike is the brand for them.

Nike ads are memorable, moving, and always offer a call to action to “Just Do It,” even when the iconic slogan isn’t present. As a marketer, there’s so much you can learn from watching Nike’s ads and examining what their marketers did right to reach their target audience and ensure the ad still felt quintessentially Nike.

Today, we’re going to examine 6 of Nike’s top ads so you can see how they deliver ads that, even 20 years or more after they were first released, still evoke comments from views like “I remember watching this back in high school. Chilling stuff. Lines [stuck in my] head since then.” Let’s dive in.

6 Top Nike Ads Case Studies

1. Jordan “Tell Me”

This ad was released for the Air Jordan XII in 1996 and was directed by Mark Romanek.

Target audience: Male basketball fans - specifically fans of Michael Jordan, as he was already in his mid-thirties and a global icon.

Key message: Your opinion doesn’t matter - I decide where my limits are. (Don’t let other people put you down.)  

Emotions conveyed: Goosebumps - awe, motivation.

Why it works: This ad grabs the attention of the viewer immediately with a dramatic opening that doesn’t let up. The slow, deliberate pacing and Jordan’s reflective tone draw you in before delivering the emotional payoff — determination and self-belief. This is a masterclass in brand storytelling, where authenticity and emotion merge to create cultural impact.

2. Bo Knows

This commercial came out in 1989 to advertise Nike’s new cross-training shoe featuring professional baseball and football player Bo Jackson.

Target audience: Young male sportspeople who feel like they have to pick one sport to dedicate themselves to.

Key message: You can do anything (and look good doing it) with Nike.

Emotions conveyed: Friendly, good-natured, funny, silly, easy-going.

Why it works: Bo Jackson’s ability to excel in multiple sports perfectly supports the ad’s message. The humor and light tone make it instantly likable, while the subtle product placement ensures the focus remains on the narrative. It’s a timeless example of a creative campaign that balances humor with brand purpose.

3. Break to Build

This commercial came out in 2009 to advertise the Jordan brand.

Target audience: Male athletes passionate about sport and exercise aged 14-34.

Key message: It’s not easy, but discipline and hard work will help you reach the top.

Emotions conveyed: Hard graft, anger, frustration, determination, passion, excitement, discipline.

Why it works: This ad features Team Jordan members and shows the raw intensity of athletic pursuit. It doesn’t romanticize success — it shows the grind. The realism builds credibility and connection with Nike’s core audience, reinforcing how powerful consistent visual branding can be. See how brands use modern AI tools to achieve this same consistency in our piece on social media visuals with AI.

4. Seen It All 50th Anniversary

Directed by Spike Lee and released in May 2022, this commercial celebrates all 50 years of Nike while paving the way for what’s to come.

Target audience: Sports-lovers both past, present, and future.

Key message: Sport is magnetic and awe-inspiring, and Nike’s there to help people reach their full potential.  

Emotions conveyed: Awe, humor, healthy competition, inspiration

Why it works: Every day people sharing their enthusiasm and excitement for what’s to come and what’s passed makes it relatable, and the catchiness of the rap means you can’t turn away or turn off. It highlights the big names we’ve seen and loved as well as people we’ve perhaps got our eye on as sports lovers. People are immediately drawn to talking about the ad and discussing if the future can really be better than the past, and the wide range of representation in the ad ensures everyone feels included.

5. Jordan Frozen Moment

Released in 1997, this commercial was produced by the agency Wieden and Kennedy.

Target audience: Michael Jordan fans - people who were glued to the screen every time he played and couldn’t look away. Young basketball fans age 10+.

Key message: The world stops when Michael Jordan plays.

Emotions conveyed: Loyalty, loss, nostalgia

Why it works: This campaign didn’t need to sell — it needed to remind. The emotional power of Jordan’s influence carried the ad. It’s a cinematic representation of how hero storytelling connects generations, just as great creative campaigns do today through emotion and identity.

Feeling inspired and ready to create? Looking back at successful ads will never fail to help spark your creativity and help you find new ways to reach your audience. One thing Nike does well throughout all these ads is they speak to their target audience - even though people from all walks of life buy Nike products, they don’t try to cater their ads to everyone.

We know coming up with new marketing ideas isn’t easy and is often time-consuming, which is why we founded Hype AI. With our help, you can browse through the marketing ideas from some of the top experts in the world and use them to inspire your own marketing campaigns, whether that be on TikTok, Twitter, or elsewhere. Click here to start your search.

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