Is GREATNESS an Illusion?
-Caleb Lothian-
Often we incorporate greatness with those who achieve immense and tremendous things. We have created a visualization and stigma of greatness that it is an illusion for most and a gift for few. Nutrition does not just stand for physical health but also mental and psychological stability. An individual can increase their health and nutrition through the simple act of altering their thoughts and expanding their personal expectations. Is it hearty for your mental stability to envision greatness as something that will always be a vision rather than a reality? It is time to close the gap between the common perceptions of greatness being out of reach for individuals who were not blessed with the ‘ability’ to do great things and an individual’s actual potential.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/434527064016950934/ https://www.pinterest.com/explore/nike-inspiration/
Who better to do so, none other than the marketing and advertising powerhouse, NIKE? It is common knowledge that Nike does an astonishing job with their marketing tactics. Just in these two pictures above they used a combined 21 words that create a drive that makes you want to concur the world. Inspiration can be found within any slogan or saying of Nike. Their well-known “JUST DO IT” slogan is short and sweet but bold and dignifying. But, what do these two photos have in common? Look beyond the words and the iconic Nike swoosh and you will find two athletic and physically healthy individuals. How can this speak to individuals who truly need inspiration? How will it touch the hearts of individuals who are looking to turn their lives around and battle depression, loneliness, failure, and emotional pain? It’s easy to say………
These sayings are catchy and do invoke a level of drive and compete but does it reach out to those who are struggling to sufficiently meet their psychological needs? Is this a proper form of motivating an individual sitting on their couch, battling depression? No. There are many individuals say that those who are struggling with depression need to grow up and shake it off. A successful psychologist, Guy Winch, says, “telling a person with depression to ‘shake it off, it’s all in your head’ is like walking up to an individual with a broken leg and saying, ‘shake it off, it’s all in your leg’” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2hc2FLOdhI). The point is, is that Nike understands everyone needs something a little different to get them going. Not everyone is the same, and some struggle more than others. Nike has recently made strides toward touching the hearts, minds, and souls of this crowd. Their inspiration campaign is different from anything they have ever done. Why? It captures a sense of faith and hope that touches us all. Below is an example of an advertisement within Nike’s inspiration campaign.
Let’s break it down and see why this ad was a success for the marketing of Nike products. There is no specific product that is being marketed. Rather it’s a lifestyle that Nike is promoting. A life of well-being and inspiration that touches the hearts and minds of us all but especially those in need of revelation.
This is a still image of the video above. What’s the significance of the road that this individual is jogging along? Is there any significance to it or is it just an average road that Nike randomly selected? There is a reason for everything that a marketer incorporates in advertisements and commercials.
You can see neither the starting line nor the finish line for this runner. At the beginning of this commercial you can’t quite see the individual that will eventually become closer and closer to the viewer. This symbolizes the individuals past. I believe that Nike is trying to promote that it does not matter where you come from whether good or bad. You can use your past to push you but it is not your past that should determine your future or your potential for greatness. Greatness is something that you create, it is something that you find within yourself. There is no predetermined greatness. It can come in many different forms. Do not tell yourself that you cannot be great because of where you come from. What’s great about the past is that it is in the past. It seems as if the road the young boy is running on is endless. The endless road embodies and individuals endless potential for greatness. The road isn’t a perfect and smooth road. There are cracks, bumps, and fade marks that illustrate the struggles one may face in life. These difficulties and imperfections don’t define someone or something; rather, they epitomize what the hits you have been able to take and keep moving forward.
The most powerful part of this commercial is the individual Nike chose to have running. It isn’t a well-known athlete or the most physically healthy/athletic individual, this goes along with their message that greatness isn’t something that only a select few are welcome to. “Greatness isn’t just some rare DNA strand, it’s not some precious thing. Greatness is no more unique to us than breathing. We are ALL capable of it, ALL OF US”.
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