Dischord v. Nike
Bambouche
1,484 Posts
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/news/05-06/23.shtml
Rob Kleckner reports:
Exhibit A: Classic cover art for Minor Threat's self-titled 1984 compilation.
Exhibit B: Nike Skateboarding's poster image for its "Major Threat" 2005 East Coast Tour.
You don't need a degree in graphic design to notice the similarities here. They're the fucking same. Oh, wait-- one is blue, not red. And Major, not Minor. And there are some Nike logos tossed in there. This brings to mind an interview with Vanilla Ice, defending the differences between "Ice Ice Baby" and "Under Pressure" ("dun dun dun duh-duh-duh dun" vs. "DUN dun dun dun duh-duh-duh dun").
Come on, Nike, your Swoosh is one of the most iconic brand images in the world, perhaps a tiny notch below the Golden Arches and maybe Coca-Cola; you don't need to be appropriating another culture for yourselves.
But Nike is smart enough to know better, right? They must have asked permission. We spoke to a representative from Dischord Records, Minor Threat's label, if Nike had asked to borrow these images. They said the following: "No, they stole it and we're not happy about it. Nike is a giant corporation which is attempting to manipulate the alternative skate culture to create an even wider demand for their already ubiquitous brand. Nike represents just about the antithesis of what Dischord stands for and it makes me sick to my stomach to think they are using this explicit imagery to fool kids into thinking that the general ethos of this label, and Minor Threat in particular, can somehow be linked to Nike's mission. It's disgusting."
Dischord is not sure of what action they are going to take, but you can tell they are not happy with Nike's choice. We will keep you updated as we learn more about the situation.
* Nike Skateboarding: http://www.nike.com/nikeskateboarding/
* Dischord Records: http://www.dischord.com/
Comments
there are a shit-ton of exceptionally talented artists creating work for nike - you'd think someone could have come up with something a bit more clever. nike has such a high standard for their promotional art (magazine ads, packaging, tv ads, etc). sure we all hate nike for the sweatshops (and i know this can never make up for it, but...), but i've always looked up to them for taking HUGE risks in their advertising and giving lots of artists time to shine. think of any other corporation of their size doing advertising as engaging, risky, and creative as they've done over the last 20 years. with that in mind, i'm curious to see what else they've created as part of this "major threat" campaign.
they're not the first, i hope they're not the last
cause ian knows we're all heading for that adult crash
the time is so little, the time belongs to us
why is everybody in such a fucking rush?
make do with what you can bite off others
take what you can get
pay no mind to dischord
they're just a minor threat
Classic.
There was a time in the early '80s when that never left the record player:
(notice the barely visible huge "X" on the side of head)
Companies are trying to sell shit right? That image right there is "street" and "major threat" gives the impression that this shit is serious. Companies care about the "bottom line" that's it. Reebok is disgraceful in how much they bite off of other shoe designs too.
Check out Stussy's website. After L-R-G took off with their tree motifs/designs and shit, Stussy and many other companies started using TREES and ROOTS and NATURE and shit.
disgraceful (go to "website"):
Stussy
Probably more disgusting to people that know Minor Threat.
Yeah, yet at the same time (minor design flaws notwithstanding, word to Mike2600) you got to admit that chomping on that album cover is kind of the shit.
But yeah... dig it.
sorry just have to make a minor correction. its a geek type thing but being that people are constantly trying to draw lines between musical genres here i thought it was appropriate.
please return to the previously scheduled debate.
thank you.
If one of our fellow Soulstrutters is sampling Stark Reality, nobody really complains. It would probably be seen as a sign of good musical taste and a respectful nod to Monty & Co. When someone like Black Eyed Peas sample them, it's considered biting and angry fingers are pointed.
If one of our fellow Soulstrutters bites a Minor Threat album cover for their mix CD cover, nobody would really complain. It would probably be seen as a sign of good musical taste and a respectful nod to MacKaye & Co. When someone like Nike bites it, it's considered a travesty.
So when is OK to sample something and when is it not OK? How big or popular do you have to be before sampling or biting someone's art becomes a sort of "crossing a line?" Thoughts?
It's like being straight edge and having some drunk dickwipe tell you, "I totally understand where you're coming from."
**Checking mental rolodex to see if I said that to Bam at my birthday party...
Ahh man. You made me laugh out loud. I don't think I put more than 5 people in the "drunk dickwipe" category. 24-7 slushbucket the Sween is not.
Well i think the issue is that Nike is a big enough company that they can afford to compensate those involved with the original work to make their own version. I think the anger comes in when a company instead of being a part of the culture and gorwing and urturing the culture just appropriates it for its bottom line. Oh that's hot? Let's use the Minor Threat Cover, we'll be down type of attitude. And trust me I have dealt with enough corporate marketing departments and firms to know that is exactly what is said in the meetings...
I remember years ago Nike said they were a sports company not a skate company (or something to that effect) when asked if they were planning on moving into the growing skate clothing/equipment market...
So yeh its apples and oranges its just the fact that they have the resoures to do something original or at least to compensate the persons/groups theya re trying to appropriate...
The difference here is that with former, there is no intention to make excessively large amounts of cash off it. With Nike, they are in this for money, where Strutters and other DIY-type folks are in it for love... seemed obvious enough to me....
And the corporate exec who ok'd this ad campaign probably said, "Minor who?" I'd say that Dischord should launch a counter-campaign inversing the "swoosh", called it the "swish", and try to fuck that skate tour up the arse....
Playing devil's advocate here, if I made a mix CD and used the Minor Threat artwork, I would like to make as much money as possible off of it.
Nike is doing a good job with taking over skate culture.
They still make the hottest shoes, so whatever. The only people who would be pissed off at that ad wouldnt buy nikes anyways, so who cares?
Clearly companies like Nike (or the mediaopolies pushing Beasties [were] and BEP [are]) couldn't give rat's ass about anything but topping off their glasses with this quarter's bum rush ad campaign. Hell, getting sued is free publicity.
THEY MAKE THAT MUCH??? WTF is anyone complaining about?
Those of us in hip hop circles like to call it "sampling."
Haha, you don't strike me as someone who would be exited to pay $300 for a pair of generic sneaks.
so raw... bam ilook forward to chillin w/ you to som ebad brains & SSD converzationz...
Did Nike do this on an MPC 2000?