After facing legal issues over the use of “LDNR”, Nike has pulled off their latest “UK focused” ad; a brilliant 3 minute piece called “Nothing beats a Londoner”.
Back in 2015 Joanna Turner, Sarah Donnelly and Donna Harris created their own company under the name of LNDR . This East London brand creates minimal and beautifully thought activewear and although Nike slipped their existence when poorly deciding to use “LDNR” as a new targeting concept, the uk brand did not slip, and they went into court, winning, against the huge corporation which has forced Nike to pull the well made advert.
It is, however, a brilliant piece of advertisement. It combines fun, emotion and local expression through music, acting and location. It has everything to make you enjoy those three minutes of ad-feeding. “Nothing beats a Londoner” is extremely relatable.
Wait, is it? While Nike’s attempt to target a local audience within the UK, they’ve pointed at everyone from Peckham to Kensington, but what about those outside London? The critiques over the ad have focused on the centrism of the corporation leaving outside the vast majority of a young audience that does not feel they are being represented.
That is what people have criticised about the ad within the UK, however, in my personal opinion: they made it right. In a time when most of the brands are impatiently trying to reach full diversity, Nike did a great job including all genders, types and statuses that represent London. It is not the whole UK? Well, we have to be fair, it is a 3 minute ad. Let’s recognise the efforts and do not be upset if they did not call your exact name when trying to sell their trends.
