# Q7 · Discuss the case study of Nike Ad for the 2012 Olympics: (i) Explain the case study completely. (ii) Justify all the important principles which helped to increase the sales and reputation of the brand, with comments

Subject: Advertising and Public Relations

Exam: TEE

Reader: https://deep-learning-study-room.vercel.app/apr/#tee/papers/paper-2023-05-05/q7

Canonical: https://deep-learning-study-room.vercel.app/read/apr/tee/papers/paper-2023-05-05--q7/

Actual TEE paper · 100 marks · Q1 compulsory + any four complete Q2–Q7

### 2023-05-05 · Q7 · Previous-paper question. Discuss the case study of Nike Ad for the 2012 Olympics: (i) Explain the case study completely. (ii) Justify all the important principles which helped to increase the sales and reputation of the brand, with comments. [20 marks]

#### Answer

## 1. Background and communication problem

#### Real case anchor · Nike’s 2012 Find Your Greatness campaign

Wieden+Kennedy’s July 2012 account describes a Nike film showing everyday athletic effort in places called London around the world. The campaign presents greatness as something people can pursue, rather than a quality reserved for elite athletes.

[Campaign / case source ↗](https://wklondon.com/2012/07/finding-greatness/)

## 2. Strategy and application of concepts

1. **Context and audience:** The Olympic period creates attention around exceptional athletic achievement. The creative provides a different point of identification: ordinary people who try. Analyse the intended audience as people interested in participation and self-improvement, not only spectators of elite competition.
2. **Positioning:** The message connects Nike with athletic effort and personal potential. This moves the discussion beyond shoe specifications to the brand’s meaning. The position remains relevant to the sports category, which makes the emotional association understandable.
3. **Creative idea:** Using different Londons creates a coherent device across geographically different scenes. It joins local examples under a global idea. Explain how the repeated device supplies unity, instead of merely listing the countries or people shown.
4. **Advertising theory:** Magic of meaning links sports products and the brand to achievement. Maslow’s self-actualisation category is a useful classroom interpretation of the invitation to develop potential. Because the film features ordinary effort, it can broaden identification rather than relying only on celebrity imitation.
5. **Message response:** The unexpected connection can attract attention; relevant human effort can create interest; identification may build desire to participate. The call is motivational rather than necessarily a direct immediate purchase instruction. Do not force every AIDA stage into a claim the film does not show.
6. **Integrated identity:** The film’s meaning can work with consistent brand presentation across touchpoints. In an exam, explain the role of coherent positioning, rather than claiming a specific media spend or placement schedule that is not supplied.

## 3. Outcome and what the evidence permits

The verified evidence establishes the creative approach and launch-period message. The supplied question asks about sales and reputation, but neither its scheme nor the reviewed agency account gives a defensible causal sales calculation. Explain how the principles could support brand meaning; do not invent a percentage increase.

## 4. Critical comments

1. The timing invites an association with global sport, but it does not by itself establish official Olympic sponsorship. Do not describe Nike as an official event sponsor on this evidence.
2. Emotional engagement is not proof of product preference or sales caused by the film. Evaluation would need exposure, brand-response and business evidence with appropriate comparisons.
3. A broad motivational message can be memorable while giving little functional product information. Its suitability therefore depends on the campaign’s brand objective.

## 5. Conclusion

The case is useful because it connects a defined audience need with a recognisable message and supporting action. A strong exam answer explains those connections and separates observed facts from assumptions about impact.

Swipe across the diagram to read its labels ↔

![A complete case answer](https://deep-learning-study-room.vercel.app/apr/fig/case-method.b335ec8f82.svg)

Diagram: A complete case answer. Labels: A complete case answer | A complete case answer | 1. Facts | Name the event/campaign and verified context. | 2. Concept | Select the theory or planning principle that fits. | 3. Application | Point to the exact feature that illustrates it. | 4. Critical comment | Explain limits, alternatives and evidence needed.

Use the case facts to justify the concept, then evaluate the explanation.