athletics

Nike Ad Reflection

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BY JENN DOWNEY ’19

Nike.

One of the most dominant brands in sportswear for 47 years. Kids grow up wearing the swoosh, thinking that one day they’ll be wearing that same swoosh in the NFL or on the PGA or LPGA Tour.  Nike knows their audience and they are one of the best in the industry at targeting the youth.  They know that if they can get the younger generation excited about their brand and stick with them through the years, then they will have a customer for life.

A few weeks ago, Nike put out a commercial to commemorate their 30th anniversary of the “Just Do It” campaign.  The commercial originally aired during the NFL season opener on a Thursday night against the defending Super Bowl Champs the Philadelphia Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons.  By the time the game started, everyone had already seen the commercial.

NikeEven though it’s Nike, and they are a huge and well-known brand, I don’t think that many people saw an ad like this coming.  It got a lot of people talking both positively and negatively though, and in the end that is probably what Nike wanted.

What I find ridiculous are the people who are burning their shoes and cutting off the swoosh because news flash: Nike already has your money and could probably care less if they get your business again. Nike didn’t make this commercial to stand behind Colin Kaepernick; they made this commercial to get the younger generations to fall in love with their brand.  If Nike wanted to take a stand and back up their sponsored athlete Kaepernick, then they would have made an ad two years ago when he started to kneel for the National Anthem, but they didn’t because they are not in the business to take political sides; they are in the business to make money.

So, then, the question is: Why Kaepernick?  Why make him the voice in this commercial if they don’t care about the politics or standing up for what he believes in?  The answer is because he is relevant.  He has been in the news and on social media on and off for about two years now.  To bring him back up again and in a new light is genius by Nike because everyone wants to see what Colin Kaepernick is up to these days.  Nike makes his face the thing you see when you’re scrolling through your feed and you’re going to stop and watch the video because there is a relevant and controversial athlete as the face of the commercial.  The commercial itself has nothing to do with Kaepernick and his issues with the NFL, and if you watch closely he is even standing looking at the American Flag waving on the side of the building when you first see him.

The goal of this commercial for Nike was to gain the interest of young consumers in the long term.  Nike got the publicity they wanted and because the commercial itself was geared towards kids they now have a more loyal fan base in the teens.  Kids love to see the rebels on tv and they love stars who express emotions especially through sports.  They picked the right candidate to be the face and the narrator of the commercial.  They did just about everything right from the business perspective and have now grabbed the attention of the kids.

I consider that a success.

Jenn Downey is a senior sport management major at Nichols College.

On The Hill

California Honors Trip

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BY JOYCE SALLES ’19

This past Spring Break, I had the opportunity to travel with the Class of 2019 Honors Program students to sunny (and sometimes rainy) San Francisco! We traveled by foot, trolley, and Uber to various locations that were both educational and exciting. I was able to capture a snip bit of a few spots we toured in this short video clip.

Here is an outline in case you missed it:

  • March 10 – Union Square
  • March 11 – Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf & Alcatraz
  • March 12 – Muir Forest & Sausalito
  • March 13 – Lombard Street & Painted Ladies
  • March 14 – Pier 39 & Chinatown

It’s hard to pick a “favorite part” of the trip with so many highlights, but the one location that stood out to me the most was Alcatraz.

On our first full day in the city, we took a ferry to the island known for its famous military prison in 1934 until 1963. Ironically, there was a gloomy, cold, foggy haze that morning. You could sense the somberness in the air as soon as you step foot on the island. We were given an audio tour in the Main Prison where they explained in detail the memories of what took place in the cells. We were able to walk in the same halls as some of infamous inmates like Al “Scarface” Capone and the “Birdman” Robert Stroud.  It was almost as though I could picture exactly what was narrated and relive it as a fly on the wall. Being able to educate myself at such a historical location made it an “inescapable” experience.

I am thankful to have gotten the opportunity to travel to a new part of the country, discover a new culture, and learn about our country’s history. Shout-out to Nichols College for giving students the chance of a lifetime to travel around the country!

Joyce Salles is a senior at Nichols College majoring in marketing and minoring in hospitality. She is also interns for the Office of Marketing and Communications. 

On The Hill

ATTN: Seniors – Tips on Interviewing

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BY JOYCE SALLES ‘19

Now more than ever, it is important to get your hands dirty and gain experience in the field we plan to work in come May 2019. The pressure to land that internship is inevitable but the stress from killing that interview is avoidable.

Do you have an interview lined up in the next few weeks? Follow these 5 tips to be best prepared:

  1. DRESS TO IMPRESS
    • Wear business professional attire–that means no casual clothing such as jeans, t-shirts, mini-skirts or crocs.
    • If you need to borrow clothing for an interview, remember that the Bison Boutique in the Career and Professional Development Center has a wide variety of clothes available for student use.
  1. BRING A FULLY-LOADED PADFOLIO
    • Print at least two copies of your resume and cover letter.
    • Show off your best material or projects relevant to your field of interest.
    • Don’t forget a pen to take notes with!
  1. DO YOUR RESEARCH
    • Become familiar with the company. The more you know, the more impressive you will look and comfortable you will feel.
    • Fully understand the position you are applying for.
    • Create three questions (at minimum) to ask your interviewer.
  1. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
    • Take advantage of your learnings from Junior PDS mock interviews. Look back on the feedback from your professor and classmates and improve on those suggestions.
    • Look up commonly asked questions online and practice the answers in your bathroom mirror. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will feel come the big day.
  1. BE AUTHENTIC
    • Be yourself, as cliche as that sounds. The interviewer wants to see if you will be a good fit for their company culture, so be sure to show who you are in an authentic way.
    • Walk in with a smile on your face and confidence on your sleeves.
    • Arrive on time and relaxed. It’s only a 15 to 30 minute conversation with someone only who wants to get to know you a bit better.

By following these few tips, you should feel ready to conquer that interview and land that internship!

Best of luck Bison!

Joyce Salles is a senior at Nichols College majoring in marketing and minoring in hospitality. She is also interns for the Office of Marketing and Communications. 

Produced by the Bison for the Nichols College Community