Socially Responsive Ad Campaign for Nike.

Building on Nike’s established presence in the public sphere, I explored the symbolism and user behaviours associated with its products, particularly focusing on the well-known “Nike Shoebox.” Research into semiotics (Aiello 2020) revealed that the red shoe box holds significant cultural weight. On a basic level, it serves its practical purpose as packaging, but its red colour conveys energy, power, and performance, aligning with Nike’s brand values. Culturally, the red box has become a symbol of quality, status, and consumer identity, where owning a Nike product reflects belonging to a lifestyle of success and empowerment. More broadly, it represents the consumerist culture associated with sports and fashion. Using the universal recognizability of the red shoe box, I developed a series of campaign posters that leverage its symbolic power for brand awareness while encouraging a socially responsive dialogue.