›

Dischord v. Nike

BamboucheBambouche 1,484 Posts
edited June 2005 in Strut Central




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/
«13

  Comments

  • SexyBNyceSexyBNyce 371 Posts
    It's disgusting."
  • soulrezsoulrez 565 Posts
    who is minor threat?






























  • TheeeCasualMaleTheeeCasualMale 2,564 Posts
    crazy. seems like they almost came up with the idea to bite the album artwork before they came up with the name "major threat." if they had done a better job with the type and color choice (that blue is awful), i might like it better from a strictly visual standpoint.

    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.
  • spaceghostspaceghost 605 Posts
    who is minor threat?

    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
  • mylatencymylatency 10,475 Posts
    whoa
  • KARLITOKARLITO 991 Posts
    As far as I can tell this looks perfectly legal. It is most definitely different enough to not be copyright infringement. This type of bitting is the backbone of modern design.
  • BamboucheBambouche 1,484 Posts
    who is minor threat?

    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)
  • soulmarcosasoulmarcosa 4,296 Posts
    It's disgusting.
    It's disgusting.
    It's disgusting.
    It's disgusting.
    It's disgusting.
  • holmesholmes 3,532 Posts
    I've always hated how Nike cashed in on skateboarding, actually I pretty much just hate Nike & have to this day refused to ever rock any footwear they've made. That ad is such a blatant rip, do they really think they are big enough that they can just pull stuff like this & not get called on it?? Are they big enough to get away with it? If you grew up on Minor Threat like I did this is as insulting as I imagine bible burning is to christians or something like that. BTW, the turquoise version of the Minor Threat cover (not Complete Discog) is even closer to the Nike blue.
  • yuichiyuichi Urban sprawl 11,332 Posts



    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
  • KARLITOKARLITO 991 Posts
    If you grew up on Minor Threat like I did this is as insulting as I imagine bible burning is to christians or something like that.
    ...but still perfectly legal
  • holmesholmes 3,532 Posts
    yeah, just the cheek of it.
  • yuichiyuichi Urban sprawl 11,332 Posts
    i think that's it right there:
    This type of bitting is the backbone of modern design.

    Probably more disgusting to people that know Minor Threat.
  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    It's disgusting."

    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.
  • holmesholmes 3,532 Posts
    Remember that company logo someone posted a while back that was a total bite of the Prestige logo?
  • spaceghostspaceghost 605 Posts
    This type of bitting is the backbone of post-[/b]modern design.

    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.
  • TheeeCasualMaleTheeeCasualMale 2,564 Posts
    This kind of goes back to the Black Eyed Peas / Stark Reality discussion we were talking about.

    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?
  • BamboucheBambouche 1,484 Posts
    This kind of goes back to the Black Eyed Peas / Stark Reality discussion we were talking about.

    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."

  • Options
    Unknown
    This kind of goes back to the Black Eyed Peas / Stark Reality discussion we were talking about.

    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...
  • BamboucheBambouche 1,484 Posts
    This kind of goes back to the Black Eyed Peas / Stark Reality discussion we were talking about.

    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.
  • 33thirdcom33thirdcom 2,049 Posts
    This kind of goes back to the Black Eyed Peas / Stark Reality discussion we were talking about.

    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?

    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...
  • guy_alcindorguy_alcindor 621 Posts
    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.

    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....
  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    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.

    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.
  • BsidesBsides 4,244 Posts
    I think thats kind of a hot idea.

    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?

  • FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts
    Who gives a fuck that the image from one of the greatest albums ever made is being used to push disposable shoes made by crippled Chink teenagers? I mean where the fuck else can they make a solid $5 a day?



    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.



  • DocBeezyDocBeezy 1,918 Posts
    crippled Chink teenagers? I mean where the fuck else can they make a solid $5 a day?




    THEY MAKE THAT MUCH??? WTF is anyone complaining about?
  • GrafwritahGrafwritah 4,184 Posts
    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").

    Those of us in hip hop circles like to call it "sampling."
  • GrafwritahGrafwritah 4,184 Posts
    Who gives a fuck that the image from one of the greatest albums ever made is being used to push disposable shoes made by crippled Chink teenagers? I mean where the fuck else can they make a solid $5 a day?

    Haha, you don't strike me as someone who would be exited to pay $300 for a pair of generic sneaks.
  • soulrezsoulrez 565 Posts

    It's like being straight edge and having some drunk dickwipe tell you, "I totally understand where you're coming from."


    so raw... bam ilook forward to chillin w/ you to som ebad brains & SSD converzationz...
  • DongerDonger 854 Posts



    Did Nike do this on an MPC 2000?
Sign In or Register to comment.