The Nike “Make Yourself” advertisement campaign is revealed to inspire and embrace women athletes from around the world. This campaign showcases what a woman needs to feel strong and determined through images. With such ad, it is based on community beliefs and how women feel like they should be portrayed.

The major problem with the ad is that it lacks in diversity. The women in the ad shows to be having a toned and thin body. Along with the “Make Yourself Proud”, the women aren’t necessarily showing a smile on her face which is a universal sign for happiness or being proud, instead it portrays that having a slim body is what is meant to be “proud” and accepted in society. In reality, making yourself proud can be showcased in many different ways as long as one feels comfortable in their own body. However, the ad showcases an unrealistic body image of a women who is toned. This lacks in diversity as proud or fit can be showcased in many different ways. As Nike is such a big company, the campaign can influence many athletes into thinking that their goal is to be like the model who is thin and to be able to be proud is to look exactly like the model. This does not showcase every aspect or diversity of body type and instead it is considered body shaming.

We should be able to set our own goals and feel proud of our own body all the time, regardless of what the model portrays of athletes. Advertisements can be very misleading especially fitness ads. For example, in this ad, it shows that with the Nike gear and clothing, we can make ourselves proud. The athlete in the ad is not doing any sort of fitness activity, she is just standing there modeling the clothing and showing her thin body. This gives a sense that in order to look like the model, first you need to wear the exact same clothing.

“Make Yourself Proud” Nike Advertisement (Unjammed)

The jammed version of the advertisement showcases that every body type can represent who proud feels like. It doesn’t have to be what the society thinks is to be accepted, which is being thin and showing a flat stomach. With the jammed version, I intended to make the body look bigger and more muscular as this represents a body type that is typically less accepted by society. This is to signify that although these features are present and doesn’t typically represent the typical thin athlete, it should not be shamed and therefore still feel a sense of pride, comfort, and unity.

As well, the words “Make Yourself Proud” gets me thinking that proud should reflect happiness, yet the model has a straight face and is not smiling. I also tried to add some sort of smile or happiness on the model because I believe that if you are portraying proud, it should give a happy vibe. Therefore, this ad strictly presents that making yourself proud is targeted towards the body, which is revealed with a flat stomach. It completely ignores the fact of the athlete’s emotions. In this jammed version, I am trying to portray that women should not feel ashamed of themselves even if their body doesn’t look like how the model is portrayed. Instead, being proud consists of what each individual feels comfortable in and there shouldn’t be a right or wrong way of what an athletic body type should look like as having muscular features also represent athletic in reality.

As Nike is such an influential company worldwide, it has the ability to affect many young women. I think that although it is a fitness advertisement, it shouldn’t contribute to factors that affect the way body images are portrayed or targeted.

“Make Yourself Proud” Nike Advertisement (Jammed)