Nike culture

Is advertising changing the way we think about ourselves and society? Does the sign-world of advertising inevitably fuse fantasy with commodities? And, if so, at what social and cultural costs? These questions are central to the sociology of advertising. Most studies deal with them by presenting broad, sweeping surveys of theory and ad culture. This book takes an in-depth look at how advertising image works. It situates the Nike swoosh logo in terms of political economy, sociology, culture and semiotics. ‘Nike Culture’ argues that contemporary society is, above all, a sign economy. The more that signifiers resonate through the intended audiences, the more economically successful the corporation will be, even though such strategies open culture to economic contradictions. Blending themes of personal empowerment and transcendence with media irreverence, the advertising campaign launched by Nike promoted the company to the top of the sports shoe and apparel industry. Its swoosh logo is now globally pervasive and Nike has become snoonymous with sports culture.