Nike is tweaking one of their most iconic taglines in advertising history to better connect with younger viewers and athletes. This week, the sportswear giant and longtime creative partner Wieden+Kennedy unveiled “Why Do It?”—a reimagining of its legendary “Just Do It” rallying cry.
Where the original slogan distilled ambition into three simple words, the new campaign asks a deeper, more provocative question: why step onto the court, the field, or the track in the first place? By centering on the anxieties of Gen Z, where perfectionism, cringe culture, and fear of failure loom large, Nike reframes greatness not as a trophy or a finish line, but as the everyday choice to simply begin. With global stars like LeBron James and Caitlin Clark alongside the unpolished grind of sport’s quieter moments, “Why Do It?” attempts to challenge young athletes to see effort itself as an act of courage.
Here’s what iSpot’s Creative Assessment platform revealed on actual viewer response to the :60 spot.
The Details:
- Nike’s “Why Do It?” :60 earned strong breakthrough (Attention and Likeability) as well as impressive relevance among American viewers 16+:
- Emotional connections were strong, with viewers finding the Inspiring and Heartfelt message disproportionately forward vs other apparel & footwear ads (past 90-day norm). The visuals supported and the ad achieved above-benchmark response across nearly all age/gender segments, and certainly among the younger generation, as intended. (Perhaps anxiety and pressure are not limited to the younger ones!)
- Moreover, 52% of all consumers seeing the ad a single time reported increased intent as a result of “Why Do It?” (outpacing category norms by +5 pts).
- Emotional connections were strong, with viewers finding the Inspiring and Heartfelt message disproportionately forward vs other apparel & footwear ads (past 90-day norm). The visuals supported and the ad achieved above-benchmark response across nearly all age/gender segments, and certainly among the younger generation, as intended. (Perhaps anxiety and pressure are not limited to the younger ones!)
- The creative resonated well across followers of just about every sport (as well as among non-followers), allowing for flexibility in media plans to support broad reach for maximum impact:
- Over the two weeks ending 9/8/25, Nike maintained a third-place share of voice in Impression delivery on both linear and streaming, behind Skechers and New Balance:
- However, Nike ranked as the top linear spender at 40.3% SOV due to high quality ad placements on NFL and College Football (boasting an in-market Attention Index of 143).
- “Why Do It?” ranked as the most seen ad on linear over this period, with a 9.7% share of all Impressions.
- The impressive results seen for the new :60 suggest additional budget be considered to expand reach and/or increase SOV.
- However, Nike ranked as the top linear spender at 40.3% SOV due to high quality ad placements on NFL and College Football (boasting an in-market Attention Index of 143).
- Although entirely suitable for broad audience media, a closer look at response among those 16-20 revealed Likeability and Relevance in the 92nd percentile vs apparel & footwear ads within this audience over the past year:
- The visuals sparked Curiosity while the message invoked inspiration, as intended, and secured a +11 pt advantage over the category norm in driving intent within this audience segment.
- Also encouraging, response was quite positive regardless of the level of fitness/exercise currently undertaken by this audience segment (also true for the broader audience).
- Comments on “Why Do It?” among those 16-20 reflect a sense that while it was not unexpected (or unique) for Nike to convey an inspirational message, most found it effective and engaging to watch. The diversity of sport and celebrity athletes were also influential to this audience albeit feeling a bit long for some.
- The visuals sparked Curiosity while the message invoked inspiration, as intended, and secured a +11 pt advantage over the category norm in driving intent within this audience segment.
Among viewers 16-20 only:
Sample comments among viewers 16-20 on “Why Do It?” :60
“Nike! Like the ad said, you just gotta do it! I love the slogan so much, I made it mine too. But yeah, you know this brand is gonna show up. The powerful images were answering the voices ‘Why’ question. You can sense the anxiety, suspense, confidence, and pride displayed by athletes. And I love how it ended on a light note. You still gotta take it seriously.”
Female 16-20
“The cinematography was amazing. The ad included various athletes and sports that I love, especially Lebron. The ad was inspiring and made me want to just do it and push for my goals.”
Male 16-20
“I loved the ad! It got my attention very quickly and it was inspiring.”
Female 16-20
“TYLER TC IS A BADDIE. What an inspiring, recognizable voice to inspire.”
Female 16-20
“I like the ad. It’s something different and creative and really promotes the brand in the best way. It’s something people will actually watch.”
Female 16-20
“Very boring and repetitive. So many other brands use the same style of ads, like slow talking and stuff.”
Male 16-20
“Another sports ad that is no different than others. It tries to be inspiring as a marketing tactic.”
Female 16-20
“The visuals were awesome. The message was what I expected for Nike, but it still gets me going.”
Male 16-20
“This ad was very inspirational and encourages its viewers to conquer their dreams.”
Male 16-20
“There are some good shots in the slow-mo, like the shot of the diver or the tennis ball hitting the net. However… It’s boring, and feels like a standard sports ad. The slow-mo shots get old pretty quickly and I don’t remember a thing of what the guy said because his voice wasn’t interesting to listen to.”
Female 16-20
“I liked most, if not all, of the players featured in the ad and not only that, but the message itself was very inspirational.”
Male 16-20
- “Why Do It?” ranked eleventh among 77 apparel & footwear ads tested over the past 90 days among those 16-20, with quite a few other Nike ads receiving a warm response, not all of which were message-forward:
Among NFL Followers:
- The :60 “Why Do It?” was still Inspiring and persuasive, but did not stand out as much vs all other ads with NFL content over the past year (across industries), the universe of which includes very popular QSR/restaurant ads among others:
With “Why Do It?” :60, Nike isn’t just reviving a legendary slogan — it’s reshaping it for a generation facing new pressures and insecurities. By celebrating effort over perfection, the brand speaks directly to the anxieties of young athletes while honoring the timeless spirit of “Just Do It.” Whether it’s lacing up for the first time, showing up to practice, or simply daring to try, Nike reminds us that the answer to “Why Do It?” is simple: because the act of trying is where greatness begins.
Schedule a demo to find out how your brand can partner with iSpot to quickly solve both challenges simultaneously, delivering high-performing creative while boosting the effectiveness of planning and in-market execution to achieve—and outperform—campaign objectives.
Creative Agency: Wieden+Kennedy