Brief: Nike Ads featuring Kobe Bryant (Kobe System: Success for the Successful, 2012) and explain how you can deduce the audience, explain the purpose (go BEYOND “sell shoes”)(the ads rarely describe shoes and never prices or availability) and think how they might be received differently now than they were at the time —or how women might see them differently from men. Write your thoughts in a clear and persuasive page in your portfolio.
The audience for these advertisements is directed towards men in general and more specifically the average athletic/training person. Tha add itself reinforces being the best you can be, this can apply to anyone with aspiring dreams or goals. However, due to the fact that the add is sponsored by Nike, this incorporates an element of athleticism and more specifically basketball fans/athletes (through the role of Kobey Bryant). The purpose behind the advertisement can be interpreted in many ways, however, the stand out explanations, in my opinion, are along the lines of “Aspiring to be your best”, “greatness in the everyday average athlete” and “you can be better than the best”. Nike as a brand aims to motivate the average person when it comes to becoming fit and aspiring to be the best person you can be. The use of a world-class, well-known athlete such as Kobey Bryant is a figure that represents hard work and dedication, ultimately implying the end goal of being “one of the best in their field”. The contrasting audience of a woman to a man is due to the adds not enforcing gender balance or equality. Women are alienated within the advertisements, there are multiple examples of successful men however not one example of a successful woman. The only appearance of a woman in the videos is used as a background actor rather than a focused aspect of the advertisement. Furthermore, there is an evident alpha-male tone presented in the advertisements, implying dictatorship and success that allows them to take over and be “the best”, this makes the audience question the role of society and the taboo topic of gender equality within the workforce today. In terms of the audience’s perspective now v.s. then it would be altered to the experiences and external influences today. Such as the fact that Kobey Bryant has passed away, this makes it hard to find the humor in the add, this factor also makes the adds a form of tribute to Kobey now rather than empowerment and inspiration. Lastly, the actors within the advertisements were “upcoming stars” at the time, however other than Kanye the majority of them are unknown to the upcoming generations, making the adds less powerful and relatable to a large number of people.
