A Rhetorical Analysis Of Nike's Objective Have It

Nike released this Air Jordan advertisement in 1988 along with their third line of Michael Jordan’s signature shoe, the Air Jordan III. This is during Jordan’s 4th season in the NBA, which some consider to be his breakout year, and Nike and Jordan’s brand awareness would’ve been very high at this time. Along with the superstar Jordan, Nike paired him with another celebrity, Spike Lee. His character in his movie “She’s Gotta Have It”, Mars Blackmon, is an eccentric resident of Brooklyn with an unending love for his city, Michael Jordan, and sneakers. The appearance of Mars Blackmon in earlier Nike commercials include the famous line “It’s gotta be the shoes”, alluding that Nike’s shoes are the reason for Jordan’s success. This ad uses all three rhetorical appeals, ethos with the inclusion of celebrities. Pathos, with the images and logos it shows, and Logos, bolding the words “best on earth”, its use of the appeals and creates a lasting image with the viewer about Nike’s product and brand. In 1988 when this ad was produced sports fans were in a Michael Jordan frenzy, he was begging to solidify himself as the greatest player of all time and his face was one of the most recognizable in sports. Spike Lee on the other hand is a …show more content…
The ad’s context is important to understand how effective it was when it was released, and it could still be effective today due to its historical significance in sneaker culture. The ethos is simple with the inclusion of major celebrities and athletes. Pathos appeals to the viewers desire to be great and successful, and logos continuously tell the viewer that Nike’s shoes are the key to success in athletics, especially basketball. The entire bad bases its appeal off of the strong ethos, with major celebrity personalities. Even if you’re not a basketball fan or interested in the product the inclusion of well know people draws viewers to the