Nike's new ad campaign.
Exhibit One: Classic cover art from Minor Threat's seminal 1984 release "Complete Discography".
Exhibit Two: Nike advertisement hawking the latest corporate attempt to turn (sub)culture into cash.
As if skateboarding hadn't already suffered a setback when Nike entered the game, they promote their 2005 tour by stealing the artwork from a band and record company that is 100% anti-corporate (and quite venerable when judged from a DIY/Punk perspective) and anti-greed? (Not to mention pro-human rights which = anti-sweatshop, which, well, you know...Nike...)
The lead singer from Minor Threat went on to front a little band called Fugazi, the most respectable band in all of existence; no t-shirts, no moshing, fixed price of $5 tickets from 1989-present...Ian McKaye must be livid. I know I am.
I sincerely hope that Dischord sues the fuck out of Nike and donates all the money to charity. When asked if Nike asked for permission, a Dischord representative had this to say:
"No, they stole it and we're not happy about it. Nike is a giant corporation which is attempting to manipulate the alternative skate culture to create an even wider demand for their already ubiquitous brand. Nike represents just about the antithesis of what Dischord stands for and it makes me sick to my stomach to think they are using this explicit imagery to fool kids into thinking that the general ethos of this label, and Minor Threat in particular, can somehow be linked to Nike's mission. It's disgusting."
Truly disgusting.
Exhibit Two: Nike advertisement hawking the latest corporate attempt to turn (sub)culture into cash.
As if skateboarding hadn't already suffered a setback when Nike entered the game, they promote their 2005 tour by stealing the artwork from a band and record company that is 100% anti-corporate (and quite venerable when judged from a DIY/Punk perspective) and anti-greed? (Not to mention pro-human rights which = anti-sweatshop, which, well, you know...Nike...)
The lead singer from Minor Threat went on to front a little band called Fugazi, the most respectable band in all of existence; no t-shirts, no moshing, fixed price of $5 tickets from 1989-present...Ian McKaye must be livid. I know I am.
I sincerely hope that Dischord sues the fuck out of Nike and donates all the money to charity. When asked if Nike asked for permission, a Dischord representative had this to say:
"No, they stole it and we're not happy about it. Nike is a giant corporation which is attempting to manipulate the alternative skate culture to create an even wider demand for their already ubiquitous brand. Nike represents just about the antithesis of what Dischord stands for and it makes me sick to my stomach to think they are using this explicit imagery to fool kids into thinking that the general ethos of this label, and Minor Threat in particular, can somehow be linked to Nike's mission. It's disgusting."
Truly disgusting.