Back in 2020, I read Shoe Dog by Phil Knight. If there’s one thing that book leaves you with, it’s how fragile Nike once was. Today, it’s a global giant worth over $100 billion, but in the 1980s, Nike wasn’t the Nike we know. 

They had great shoes, yes. But their communication? It was off. Nike spoke almost exclusively to elite athletes, professional runners, the “already made.” That worked for a while but excluded millions of ordinary people who wore sneakers not to break records but to stay fit, shed stress, or feel alive. 

Then came 1988. The slogan: Just Do It. 

It sounds almost too simple—three words, not particularly flashy—but those three words changed everything. The line came from ad man Dan Wieden of Wieden+Kennedy, inspired by the final words of a convicted criminal. Strange as that origin is, the genius was in listening deeply, finding a phrase that tapped into something universal. Something raw. 

That’s what great communicators do. They listen beneath the noise. They pay attention to fears, hopes, and psychology—and translate it into words that feel like they were sitting in your head all along. 

Nike’s shift from “for the elite athlete” to “for everyone with a body” was more than marketing—it was a communication revolution. In ten years after launching “Just Do It,” Nike’s sales grew from $877 million to over $9 billion. 

Nike wasn’t selling shoes; they sold belief, grit, possibility. They made running around the block feel like an Olympic feat.

So, what can brands learn? 

👉 Listen harder. The best stories come from observing human truths, not just boardroom brainstorms.

👉 Expand the frame. Don’t only speak to your current customers. Speak to who they aspire to be.

👉 Simplify ruthlessly. Sometimes three words can move mountains if they touch the right nerve.

At Work Smart, this is what we help brands do: find their voice, sharpen their communication, and tell stories that resonate beyond products. Because in the end, communication is more about being remembered than being heard.