Usually I wouldn't just jump on a Pitchfork story but this is too insane to let go without some sort of comment. Nike just up and stole the cover image from the Minor Threat Complete Discography disc and is using it as a promotion for its shoes to skaters. According to a Dischord representative Nike didn't eve try to clear use of the image:
"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."(full story)
So when a major corporation tries to appeal to "the underground" are they really so daft that they don't think a move like this is just going to further alienate the demographic they're trying to reel in?
UPDATE: Paul helpfully pointed out that the debut Minor Threat 7" used the same image and was also in blue...so that just ups the dirtbag factor of this move by Nike.
No comments:
Post a Comment