2. • The Nike swoosh emblem has become a major symbol to people
across the United States since 1971. Nike was originally started and
branded for the use of athletic purposes, and to an extent, still is. In
modern day culture this brand has become more than just a reliable
athletic brand, but also has transformed into a fashion statement, with Nike
swooshes, and of course including one of the most modern and well-known
mottos of Nike, “Just Do It”. Songs, TV, music, stores, internet, social
media, and most of all, people have made this brand more than what it was
originally intended to be. I encounter people every day who wear and
utilize Nike products, without realizing the original purpose of the products.
Consumers go out and buy a pair of the best Nike running shoes with the
most appealing colors, and may use them for running two or three times.
What makes this athletic gear different than all of the other brands of
athletic gear? Is it the quality? Is it the company? Or is it the Nike swoosh
that is plastered on every single product? People want to embrace the Nike
swoosh. People want to let other people know that they are a part of the
“Nike Family”. The photos in the essay depict the modern day usage of
Nike products, being used against original intentions and purpose.
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5. Above is a pair of Nike shorts. I see this pair of shorts in a variety of
different colors countless amounts of times throughout a single day of
college.
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8. Above are the feet of two teachers. The teacher on the left is not a
coach.
9. I visited a community track practice that students of all ages
participated in. I asked a teenage girl what exactly she liked
about her Nike shoes, which were bright pink, green, and orange.
She responded with, “They make me run faster than ordinary
shoes”. So I asked “Well, what about the other athletic brand
shoes, such as Avia, Reebok, and Adidas? Those are supposed
to make you run fast too.” She replied, “Those brands are not
cool. All of the runners wear Nikes. They look the best.” Instead
of Nike being an athletic brand of clothing, it has become just
another ordinary popular brand that everyone wants to have.
Some athletes want them for better performance, while some
want them to fit in with the better performance. While walking to
and from class, Nike is a brand that is guaranteed to see more
than once on the way there. Nike shorts, Nike shirts, Nike book
bags, Nike caps, and Nike sweatbands are just a few of the items
that one may encounter. School is not a gym, or a soccer field, or
a track. School is not a place that the majority of people
participate in athletics. So why are the majority of students
wearing the same type of athletic gear? Nike has evolved into a
style, a way of being, not just a brand.
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13. Above are the feet of the interviewed girl who runs track . In the background
there is another child who is wearing a pair of Nike tennis shoes as well.
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16. This one photo shows hope that there are students that are utilizing and
understanding the purpose of Nike. The corresponding Gatorade bottle gives a
sense that the person may possibly be an athlete carrying athletic material .
