Nike Had Me Thinking They Got Hacked,Then They Got Me Hooked

Posted June 30, 2025

Okay, so I was just casually scrolling through Instagram, minding my business like any other day…

And suddenly, Nike’s football (soccer) ad pops up.

At first?

I thought they got hacked.

Like full-on screen glitches, hacker energy, mysterious vibes.

My first instinct? “Oh no. Not Nike too.”

I was actually shook.

And I’m not even exaggerating.

But then I kept watching.

And that’s when it hit me…

It wasn’t a hack.

It was marketing.

Smart, disruptive, attention-grabbing marketing.

The message was loud and clear:

“Be scary good.”

Not kinda good.

Not passably talented.

Scary. So good they don’t know how to respond.

And if you're Millennial or Gen Z, you already know

We're the generations that grew up watching people "go viral" for doing the bare minimum.

Now, it’s about excellence.

Standing out. Doing the most in the best way.

This ad spoke to every part of that mindset.

Then came the kicker:

“Can’t beat them? Join them.”

It flipped the energy from intimidation to inspiration.

From “you’re being watched” to “you’re being invited.”

Nike wasn’t just promoting shoes, they were pushing a mindset.

One that challenges you to stop playing small.

To stop blending in.

And to start owning your scary-good potential.

It scared me badly in the normal sense.

But in the business sense?

It got me hooked.

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