the icon
By Pat Law™ • Aug 25th, 2008 • Category: Lead StoryThe icon. An object or place of unconditional devotion. An enduring symbol of a cultural movement. A person, as determined by the people who believe in him or her. Which brand can you think of that fits the bill of any of the three definitions above? Hold that thought; I’ll get back to you by the end of this entry.
The founder of Revlon, Charles Revson, uttered these famous words, “In the factory Revlon manufactures cosmetics, but in the store we sell hope.”. Look at the brands around you. What made you buy them as opposed to other competitive brands? What do you think they actually sell?
I’ll start. My skinny MacBook Air. Freedom. My orange Rhodia notepad. Security. My 1982 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust. Respect. My unisex American Apparel briefs. Comfort. My screaming Freitag bag. Individuality. My Karl Lagerfeld shirt. Vanity. My Nike sneakers. Passion.
Yes, passion. Passion for Sports, Culture, and most importantly, Life. It is admittedly a little unbelievable at this point, considering the lethal cup of freshly brewed coffee on my desk alongside with a cigarette lingering at the corner of my lips as I write this entry, but yours truly, was once a pretty fit human machine.
I played sports for as long as I could remember. I’ve never scored anything less than a Gold for the National Fitness Test for 8 consecutive years. I was the first setter (yes, always have been vertically challenged) in my school’s volleyball team. Oh did we kick some ass back then. Coming in 15th in the school’s 10km cross-country run out of 300 wasn’t that bad for an asthmatic too. Aggressive skating was a hell lot of fun as well. Maybe I should pull my Roces M12 out for a ride soon.
I can’t quite find a real reason, but I have sadly disengaged from my participation in Sports gradually over the years. Save for the rare trip to the gym after my ohmygodwherehavemysixpecsgone panic attacks, I have retired to that of a passionate spectator instead. I enjoy watching Manchester United trash Chelsea (oh so sue me), the Russian coach screaming at his female volleyball team, and Haile Gebrselassie burning rubber.
I’ve lost count over the number of pairs of sneakers I have, be it adidas, Nike, or Puma. I have not forgotten why I wear them though - I love sports, the culture of which the shoe was born, and how it compliments my life. Alright, maybe not all sports per se. Archery is as painful as watching herbal soup boil. Fun in Genghis Khan’s era, I’m sure, but I’ll much rather watch my grandma make a rollie anytime.
nike sportwear t-shirt & windrunner
nike sportwear t-shirt
margherita granbassi is too hot for words
I was introduced quite unexpectedly to Nike Sportswear earlier this week, when Nike Singapore dropped me their symbolic t-shirt and the finest piece of lino in their Windrunner at my office. Designed for Sport and remastered for Life, Nike Sportswear represents passion for both the participant and spectator alike. Just for the record, these babies came just 2 weeks after dropping me a couple of pairs of Nike sneakers, including the sleek Nike+ SportBand over coffee in person. Yes, in person. Not over an insincere press release with a “please provide 3 blog entries about our brand using these product proof points” criteria sent via email.
Similarly to Nike Japan’s attitude when I was invited to design my own pair of Nike iD kicks, Nike Singapore did not, not even once, request for me to blog about them. It was almost as though they’re saying, “Look Pat, enjoy the goods, and, well, that’s it. Just enjoy them.”. I don’t think I can say the same for other brands pitching to bloggers out there, can I? I suppose when you are that confident of your brand and products, you don’t quite need to tell the influencers you seed to what to say, or do. It dilutes the truth. And really, consumers aren’t stupid. If I’m going to read about 10 great advantages of your product and zero disadvantages from a blogger, do you honestly think I’ll believe in your product? I’m better off reading the advertorial your award-winning copywriter wrote for a magazine.
That is why Nike is an icon to me. Nike stays true to its beliefs (being from Japan or Singapore didn’t seem to matter), stays honest to its consumers, and confident enough not to care what this adidas fan might say about its brand. I really admire that in a brand. Suddenly, their logo across my t-shirt means so much more.
nike sportswear t-shirt and I don't work for Leo Burnett BTW!
It’s kinda funny how the first Nike t-shirt was both a success and failure. Born into the tracks of 1972, everyone from runners to fans and even the officials, wore the Nike t-shirt. A rebel by birth, Nike went against the rules with its big fat logo at a time when logos and labels were prohibited. Surely it was great exposure for the brand, except everyone was asking, “who’s Mike?”, a result from a skinny italicized typeface without caps. And that is why you see what you see here today. Interesting conversation piece, don’t you think?
rio and his windrunner
I’m loving the latest Fall collection from Nike Sportswear. And I recommend for you to check it out too. There aren’t many brands left worthy of being called an icon anymore,
Now, which brand is an icon to you, and why?
Pat Law™is a Digital Strategist who, in her time in the Adland, has marketed a range of global brands including adidas, Cadbury Schweppes, Chrysler, Harley-Davidson, Hewlett-Packard, Johnnie Walker, L’Oréal, and Royal Salute. A self-confessed Social Media junkie, Pat has since joined the 360° Digital Influence team at Ogilvy PR. Pat also writes for iSh, LOTL International, and Singapore Architect.
Email Pat | All posts by Pat Law™
Who’s Mike is funny. Hahahaha!
apple and google. my icons.
Nice t-shirt!
Good way to summarise how brands affect our lives, and nice way to describe how different brands mean different keywords to you. I thought MacBook Air reflects Sex but maybe I am wrong…. Haha…
Oh man, Nike Windrunner was my first pair of serious running shoes and I remembered how I progressed up to Nike Air Max Squared then with the fully cushioned transparent air pocket thingy which made you look oh so cool. Nowadays, I prefer to run in New Balances or Asics, but my singlet and shorts are Nike Dry Fits. And yeah, I agree with the words Passion for Nike. New Balance and Asics are both superior in technology (arguable…hehe) but we know that both brands just don’t have that Phil Knight magic…
Harlow Walter,
Nawwww, my MacBook Air is too expensive for sticky stains. Heh.
Ah, nice to know you’re a runner. Having launched adidas’ running campaign previously, I do know that both New Balance and Asics are runners’ favourites. Why is it so for you? Some like the weight, some like the ankle support, etc… but its strange how they also think “the uglier it is, the better the technology”. What do you say to that?
Interestingly, iCon is the title of the biography of Steve Jobs.
I used to love Nikes as a teen for my running and basketball shoes. Now, “fashionwear” comes to mind first, and certainly not “performance”.
For running, I now swear by Asics Kayano - the model, not the Asics brand. That’s because I never had a running shoe fit my so nicely.
For basketball, I swear by And1. They fit great and perform well, but there’s this element of irrational and emotional attachment to the brand. i.e. I’d find the And1 more comfy than a Nike or Adidas, even if they’re all identical.
The presence of this irrationality turns a brand into an icon.