Nike
Talk to the reader, not at them.
I've long had a fascination with Dennis Rodman.
Partially because I was born in the mid-90s on the outskirts of Chicago. But mostly because he's a wild, unpredictable, animated enigma. Best summed up by Chuck Daly, who once said to an assistant trying to help Rodman at practice, "You don't put a saddle on a mustang."
Nike understood him. And they crafted this - as one person put it - a "literally perfect" piece of advertising.
I’m not sure if this ad ever officially ran. But it’s a damn good piece of writing that captures one of the most important lessons every creative needs to learn: Great copy talks to the reader, not at them.
We often forget that the consumer is not a machine or a persona. They’re your wife. Your neighbor. Your brother. Your coworker. Your kid.
Speak to them accordingly.
Partially because I was born in the mid-90s on the outskirts of Chicago. But mostly because he's a wild, unpredictable, animated enigma. Best summed up by Chuck Daly, who once said to an assistant trying to help Rodman at practice, "You don't put a saddle on a mustang."
Nike understood him. And they crafted this - as one person put it - a "literally perfect" piece of advertising.
I’m not sure if this ad ever officially ran. But it’s a damn good piece of writing that captures one of the most important lessons every creative needs to learn: Great copy talks to the reader, not at them.
We often forget that the consumer is not a machine or a persona. They’re your wife. Your neighbor. Your brother. Your coworker. Your kid.
Speak to them accordingly.
Should I send these straight to you?
GOBSMACKED is my weekly newsletter exploring copywriting through personal experiences and what we’re seeing in the wild.
(Almost) every Monday, I share observations on creative work, copywriting trends, and advertising, along with a handful of pretty examples.
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