Nike is the company known for the slogan “Just Do It.” The phrase became the centerpiece of Nike’s advertising in 1988 and helped turn the brand’s marketing into a broader message about action, ambition, and athletic identity.
The slogan was created by Dan Wieden, co-founder of Nike’s advertising agency, Wieden+Kennedy. Wieden said the wording was inspired by the reported final words of Gary Gilmore, “Let’s do it,” before his execution. He changed the phrase to “Just Do It” to make it sound more direct and universal.
Nike’s first major “Just Do It” advertisement featured 80-year-old runner Walt Stack and debuted in 1988. The campaign did not focus only on elite athletes; it also addressed ordinary people, helping Nike sell athletic shoes and clothing as part of everyday life.
A common mix-up is assuming the slogan dates to Nike’s founding or to the introduction of its Swoosh logo. Nike was founded as Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964, and the Swoosh appeared earlier, in 1971. “Just Do It” belongs specifically to Nike’s late-1980s advertising era.