Nike | Black Community Commitment
Addressing racial inequality through the power of sport.
Nike’s purpose is to move the world forward through the power of sport. In 2020, Nike, Converse, Jordan Brand and Michael Jordan committed a combined $140 million over 10 years to invest in and support organizations focused on economic empowerment, education and social justice to address racial inequality for Black Americans through an initiative called the Black Community Commitment (BCC).
They had a striking logo with a custom typeface Neue Black by Tre Seals, inspired by the Chicago Freedom Movement, led by Dr. King. The creative problem to solve for was how to build on this initial work, create a strategic foundation, messaging, a complete design system including brand guidelines and applications that would create a robust system for the next decade of giving.
The Challenge
We began by crafting a brand narrative and manifesto that captured the principles of the Black Community Commitment. This language became core to the consumer messaging that was developed for print and digital applications. We also created a visual system that built upon the pre-established brand identity and encompassed social and other digital applications, art direction for photography, swag, partnerships and community outreach. The entirety of the system was captured in a brand guidelines document that gave clear guidance for use to ensure the brand showed up consistently regardless of where it was.
The Solution
The evolution of the design language allowed for further expansion for the BCC team and greater awareness for the program. The BCC mission continues to thrive in year 3 with new visual tools and continued outreach in the education innovation, economic empowerment and social justice reform areas. The BCC program is continuing their commitment to the black community with an additional $8.9 million in investments across 53 national and local nonprofit organizations. This powerful initiative is now propelled by a design language that is impactful and built to scale.
Outcomes
Accountable For:
Account Lead
Project Management
Creative Direction
Deliverables
Brand Narrative Development
Messaging
Brand Development
Design Language
Image Library
Social System
Applications
Brand Guidelines
