Everything You Need Is Already Inside

Kevin Smith

Professor Centers

English 211

12 April 2013

Just Do It

        Bill Bowerman, co-founder of Nike, once stated, “Everything you need is already inside” (Nike Inc.). This statement referred to the aspects of a great athlete. Since the company originated in 1971, Nike has been able to influence people to buy their goods through the showcase of popular athletes. Although Nike has been very successful, they realized that their ads were not as captivating to people who do not classify themselves as great athletes. Nike wanted to come up with a solution and they did. They decided to create a commercial ad that displayed elite athletes at their most difficult, courageous, and amazing times to convey them as ordinary people. This commercial tries to convince average people that they can do extraordinary things like elite athletes by using “what is inside.” In this commercial, Nike tries to remove the excellence out of the professional athletes and infuse it into the minds of the viewer through images and music. It helps the average person compare failure with achievement.

        The Nike “Courage” commercial displays over forty-five well-known athletes in a one-minute span while the song “All These Things That I’ve Done,” by the Killers, is playing in the background. Nike uses this song to strengthen the meaning of the images. While Bill Bowerman’s quote, “Everything you need is already inside,” is shown over the opening image of LeBron James, NBA superstar, doing his pre-game routine, the opening beat of the song sets a great tone by imitating that of a beating heart.

        The next few images symbolize birth and awakening. There is a pink flower shown blossoming at a quick pace. The blossoming of the flower represents that all humans start out the same. Throughout the commercial, there are images of bones, x-rays, and blood cells to show the viewer “what is inside.” This is showing that every human has what it takes to achieve success because almost every human is genetically the same. The physical traits needed to achieve athletic success are natural and already a part of you.

        Also, there are multiple images of animals used in this commercial. A cheetah dives after his prey and before he reaches it the camera changes to a beautiful mountaintop covered in snow. As a lion lunges, the camera quickly transforms it into an athlete jumping over a hurdle. The concept of the animals and nature is representative of human nature, and human-like instincts. In the Nike “Courage” commercial, Nike shows footage of what a normal athletic commercial would not, failure. Striving to survive goes hand and hand with striving to overcome these failures. This commercial shows that the best athlete does not always achieve greatness and that the inferior athlete does not always fail. Professional athletes can both win and lose; everyday people can both fail and triumph.