Originally Posted by delicious
I don't mean to pick on you, but there have been like 10 different responses exactly like this here.
No one is saying this.
People here, including myself, don't like Nike for a ****ing slew of reasons. They're one of the most visible, unrepentently inhumane trans-national corporations. Anyone who's been through college or has an even slightly critical perspective knows this. Add on top of this their "coolhunting," or co-opting of the alternative (the same "alternative" that often is opposing everything Nike stands for) and it makes perfect sense that people are a little upset with Nike.
It rubs me to see Nike moving in on our loose little subculture, but no one is acting like the strawman you people have been constructing.
I don't mean to pick back at you...but don't you think that the outlandish tone of my post was obvious that I was playing it all up, based on reading through the thread?
I have no problem with Nike featuring fixies in adverts. Who really cares. It hurts nothing. Nike did the same with skateboarding years ago, failed badly on their first try....yet they tried again and now are cosnidered one of the "core" skate shoe brands in some circles. Nike makes a good product. Blah blah blah about sweatshops and such.
As for "coolhunting" Nike (and Target...and whoever) do it all the time. The advertising industry is based on it. It is the way it is. I doubt Nike or Target would run the track bike/sisngle speed adverts in bumble****, Iowa. I work accross the street from the giant target track bike advert in Times Square (for an advertising agency actually) and in the context of Times Square it works. It's cool and everyday I pass it I look up and smile. 90% of people who pass by it just see a guy on a bike and don't care.
The world runs on money. Who cares what company picks up on what. Does it change how much you like riding your fixie? If it does, you've got issues.
(on a personal note....I loath Nike's cycling products...but adore their running shoes....Though the advert seems to be selling lifestyle over anything)...