When Nike published its latest advertisement featuring racial injustice campaigner Colin Kaepernick, it sparked a torrent of abuse for the brand from those who disagree with Kaepernick’s stance. It also prompted an outpouring of admiration from supportive consumers and marketers alike. To say it is controversial is an understatement.

In this episode of the Digital Download podcast I discuss Nike’s approach with Stephen Houraghan, who runs Australian branding agency Iconic Fox. We talk about how Nike uses brand archetypes modelling to understand its consumers, and about how archetypes can be used to differentiate brands from competitors. We also dig into what brand archetypes are and discuss authenticity, brand personality and why taking a stand on topical issues is so powerful.

Here’s what is discussed in this episode:

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