066: Want to Build a Billion Dollar Brand? Just Do This

Hello, you lovely Creatives!

Welcome to Volume 6️⃣6️⃣ of Creative Cuts 🔪 - your weekly dose of creative strategy from your friends at Creative OS.

And today on the cutting board…

Let’s be real:

Most brands think they’re “building a brand” when they’re really just making ads.

But then you look at Nike—and it hits different.

It’s almost like they’re never even selling products…

Instead…

They built a creative machine that shaped culture, created movements, and made people feel something every time a campaign dropped.

We think that is fascinating. 

So, we broke down their entire creative history….

And put it into this digest so that you can study some of their best moves of all time. 

That said…

Let’s break down 5 timeless creative lessons from Nike’s greatest hits…

So you can apply the same thinking to your next ad, asset, or concept.

Enjoy,

Chase

1. Lead with Belief, Not Product

Nike figured out early: people don’t buy shoes—they buy a story about who they are.

Their best campaigns didn’t start with features. They started with feelings:

• “There Is No Finish Line” (1977) showed a lone runner on an empty road. No product. Just purpose.
  

• “Just Do It” (1988) launched with an 80-year-old jogger running 17 miles a day—proving sport is for everyone.
  

• “Find Your Greatness” (2012) spotlighted everyday athletes in towns named London, while the Olympics raged on across the pond.

Each ad said the same thing without saying it: sport is human. And Nike is here for that human.

Steal this: Write your next hook like a manifesto. What does your brand believe about the customer? Their goals? Their grind?

2. Turn Controversy Into Loyalty

Nike didn’t ride the wave—they made the wave.

And when it came to tough conversations? 

They ran toward them.

• In 1993, Charles Barkley told America: “I am not a role model.” That ad got blasted on cable news—and cemented Nike’s image as bold and real.
  

• In 2018, they made Colin Kaepernick the face of their anniversary campaign. Sales jumped 31% despite protests and boycotts.
  

• The “Equality” campaign (2017) tackled systemic injustice head-on with a cinematic ad narrated by Michael B. Jordan.

These weren’t PR stunts. 

They were calculated conviction plays.

Steal this: Don’t force controversy—but do take a stand. The brands people remember are the ones willing to say what others won’t.

3. Make the Audience the Hero

Nike’s best creative doesn’t put athletes on pedestals. It puts you in the story.

Some of their most powerful ads didn’t show stars at all:

• “If You Let Me Play” (1995) featured girls listing real-world benefits of sports: lower depression, higher self-esteem, less domestic abuse.
  

• “Dream Crazier” (2019) narrated by Serena Williams, flipped the “crazy” label thrown at women athletes into a rallying cry.
  

• “You Can’t Stop Us” (2020) paired 36 perfectly synced split-screens of athletes across race, gender, sport—reminding us we’re stronger together.
  

This is brand storytelling that hands the mic to the audience.

Steal this: Ask yourself—who’s the hero of this ad? If it’s not your customer, start over.

4. Ride the Cultural Wave (or Hijack It)

When the world is watching something, Nike finds a way to steal the spotlight—even when it’s not theirs.

• “Bo Knows” (1989) turned Bo Jackson’s multisport dominance into a viral catchphrase.
  

• Mars Blackmon (Spike Lee) brought cinema and street culture into sneaker ads—way before “brand collabs” were a thing.
  

• “Find Your Greatness” (2012) ran during the London Olympics (which Adidas sponsored) but featured everyday athletes in “London, Ohio” and other offshoots. Bold and genius.

The lesson? Nike doesn’t wait for permission. They create relevance.

Steal this: Stay plugged into pop culture. If there’s a conversation your audience is in—show up. Even better if it’s unexpected.

5. Execution is Emotion

Nike doesn’t just say inspiring things. They show them—beautifully.

Take “You Can’t Stop Us” again.

Technically flawless. 72 clips. 36 synchronized split-screens. Zero green screens. The visuals were the story: unity, symmetry, perseverance.

Or “Seen It All” (2022)—their 50th anniversary ad. Spike Lee’s Mars Blackmon debates the GOATs of the past with a Gen-Z protégé across a chessboard. It’s slick, layered, emotional, and future-forward.

Steal this: Don’t sleep on craft. The best message falls flat without the right creative delivery. Get obsessive with timing, pacing, editing, voiceover, and music. Make your ads feel like films.

Final Thoughts: Don't Just Build Ads. Build a Body of Work.

Nike didn’t become Nike with one viral hit.

They did it by:

• Staying ruthlessly consistent on message
  

• Evolving with culture without losing identity
  

• Speaking directly to their customer’s internal narrative
  

• And never being afraid to go deep or go big

Your brand is a story told one ad at a time.

So here’s a challenge for you this week…

👉 Revisit your top 5 performing ads. What do they really say about your brand?

👉 Write 3 belief-driven openers that speak to your audience’s identity.

👉 Test 1 campaign that’s bolder than your usual tone.

Hope this helped.

And until next time,

Chase

That’s all! If you’re looking to find inspiration or get the best ad templates out there, come hang out with us at Creative OS and tell your friends!