YouSaid · the spoken record

Greg Hoffman

lines on the record: 82
first: 2022-06-09
most recent: 2022-06-09
sittings or episodes: 1
sources: podcast

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Chemistry, just like the greatest teams in the world on that. And maybe one other piece to that was this idea of individuality. And so for that, and again, I'm telling you, I'm sure there's folks out there that got tired of seeing my parallels with the sport of football. But the Brazil national team was a team that I had this 25-year relationship with starting as an intern, right? And what's great about the Brazilian national team is that they played with the Jenga style, which means to sway. And Jinga is, you know, the influences of that style of play comes from Capoera, you know, Brazilian martial arts and samba. But it emphasized the individual eccentricities of the players.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“The net. You need the buy in. And my job was to make sure that I was there with the empathy needed to recognize the contributions of everybody, but to also ask people to make the sacrifice so that we could run faster, be more timely, create more distinctive work. And ultimately, as things are going, the consumer expects everything in their life to be connected, right? The last thing they would want to hear about is that there are these really long handoffs between agencies and brands and departments, and that's why the work is kind of disjointed. You can't have that. You'll lose your consumers. So part of it is it was creating this connected team, this one team that operated with great”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“All these groups that have worked independently for quite some time where the integration took a lot of work with really long passes. And I used this example frequently, and I'm sure it drove my teams crazy, but I used FC Barcelona as an example of radical creative collaboration. Their style of play, the tiki taka. It's all those short passes. There's no waiting. Everybody's moving around the field at the same time. And I would show the team these clips of this, you know, Pep Guardiola's FC Barcelona team passing the ball 40, 50, 60 times in a game in a row without an interruption. And how does that happen? It's because you could say radical selflessness, right? The goal is to literally, the pursuit is still to put the goal in.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Yeah, no, it's a great, great point because creative collaboration is unique because oftentimes creativity and innovation is a very personal pursuit, right? It can get pretty territorial. You've spent a lot of time on this. And you want to ensure essentially that you get credit. And so a lot of what you're doing is trying to instill both self-confidence and self-awareness so that, and you're trying to eliminate kind of the silos and independent kind of studios, if you will, I was given this awesome opportunity to run all the creative functions at Nike. Here's the coolest, most influential brand. And so my job was to take advertising and digital marketing and brand design and event marketing and take”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Through who you are as a brand and what you bring into the world. That's why I say connect what you sell with what the world needs. If you can't do that, then most likely you need to think about kind of moving into a different arena. So those are when I see something maybe that's tone deaf or it's not usually because it's just simply not on brand. And it's confusing to your audience.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“And be a part of the conversation, right? And just look at what Epic Games did in terms of taking the revenue from Fortnite over a period of time and making donations to Ukraine relief. They didn't do an ad, but they found a way that was authentic to them to create an opportunity that's going to help a lot of people in a really tough situation right now. So that's the thing. When I'm talking to brands, it's like that just number one, it's like storytelling isn't always the example, advertising in terms of, you know, social impact statements. And part one and part two, you must ensure that what you want to say clearly comes from.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“That's the connection, right? And I think when you see a brand maybe miss, you know, sometimes you might be watching TV and you'll see an ad and it's clear that this, whoever this brand is, that they are trying to create positive change in the world, but you can't figure it out. And it's not until the end that you see the logo. You're like, okay, I don't get the connection. And so the point is, is like to start by saying is what's happening in this situation relate to our values and our mission. And then if it does, what new unique insight are we bringing to the conversation that's not already being talked about? And then finally, the other thing, Stephen, is, because I think sometimes the default is we need to say something as a brand when there are so many other ways that you can engage.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Because you have to be able to connect what you sell to what the world needs in a specific moment when it comes to social impact or social justice. So whether you're a food and beverage company, an automobile company, a sneaker company, if you want to participate in that conversation and break down barriers and empower people or change the way people feel about a particular issue.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Mar grew up with the Nike Cortez sneaker, very real relationship with the shoe that's very much a part of LA. And so when we partnered with Kendrick Lamar, it's coming from a shared passion, and that authenticity comes through to your audience, right? When it doesn't, that's when it feels like you're chasing cool. And so I always say just make sure your connections are really, really clear to your audience in terms of who you partner with, what is the real purpose of your product beyond all the shiny new partnerships and other things you can do, you still have to kind of go back to its roots.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Part in a little bit of that. And as I talk about in the book, at some point, stories no longer belong only to the brand. They get passed down. And so the Air Force One is interesting because this year again, it was the highest selling sneaker out there. And so it's very accessible. And yet it's also, you could argue the most culturally relevant sneaker as well. And so it's aspirational. And so my point is that's by design. You're ensuring that there's a level of the authentic storytelling and that those that you are partnering with, the ambassadors, if you will, that show up in your communication on that have a real connection and affinity for the Air Force One, just like Kendrick Lamb.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“like Moses Malone, who was a center for the Philadelphia 76ers at the time, won on the court in the Air Force one. So that's cool. That's proving that innovation right out of the gate. And so from there, as it grew in stature, what was great about all the teams that played a role across all the different disciplines at Nike to bring this to market every year is all of the storytelling was rooted in authenticity. This colorway came from this basketball court. This colorway was from this New York outdoor court, and this player scored X amount of points. And you as a enthusiast for this sneaker got to take.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“First and foremost, it's an innovation that was created in 1982 that was created to serve the basketball athlete, right? It wasn't created to make a statement in culture. It was created to make a statement on the court. And the designer was obsessed with creating something that gave that athlete an advantage. It's really hard to create if you want any chance for a product to ultimately become a cultural icon, if you will. And by the way, brands don't get to decide that. You know, your audience does over time. Then you must, the inception and creation of that product has to start with, what's the benefit that you're trying to deliver? What's the problem you're trying to solve? So that's part one. And the fact that someone...”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Product and get it to market. And so first and foremost, this idea that authenticity and serving the athlete is the anchor at all times. So even though you're trying to be maybe the most influential and coolest brand on earth, you know, and there's an art to doing that, you always have to go back and ensure that it serves the athlete and the deepest way possible. And that's why maybe we'll get to this later. But I always use that mantra, don't chase cool because most likely you're not going to catch it. And that idea that you're authenticity in terms of what I've learned over and over again keep going back to. Your authenticity is your cultural currency. The minute your audience can no longer see your original pursuit. Every company's a bit different is the day they kind of leave you and go engage and partner with someone else.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Well, first and foremost, I think, and I'm a brand advisor now with establish brands and startups. And what Nike had from the beginning is such a clear brand house, if you will. It's belief, its mission, its vision, its values. You know, where are you going? How are you going to get there? What do you believe? What's your promise to your audience? And what are the characteristics and traits that compose your brand in that pursuit to deliver inspiration and innovation to everyone? And so imagine the power of that in terms of everyone is clear as they walk through the door to show up to work why they're there. And I say this because a lot of brands can't say that. A lot of startups haven't even got there yet because they're just trying to perfect their”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“So there was no sitting back, right? It's kind of that forward lean, just like in athletics. So that's just a few of the aspects, I think, that just created that longevity and loyalty.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“That kept me engaged for that long, as well as I have this Nike's original slogan was there is no finish line. Before just do it, there is no finish line. And so if you're, you know, maybe a perfectionist or you're always in pursuit of better and even to your own detriment sometimes, right? Never satisfied, never finished. I was kind of all of those things. Oftentimes I think a lot of creators and makers are, right? So that was the other part of it that you could always keep reaching for that next design or that next story. And the company's expectations were just as high of you as itself. And what's great about Nike and certainly the Nike I grew up with is complacency was the enemy of creation.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“It was a new, slightly new company every two years. And to be able to participate in both these essentially restarts or revolutions. So that was very exciting. And then I'd say the final thing is that by the time I was a teenager and started to seeing Nike's commercials, Nike was really the only brand that was putting people of color in their communication. Really, you had to look really hard around the arena of companies to see anyone else doing that. And so that started instilling me the power that this brand has to represent everyone. But and also, you know, it's in their mission statement to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete. So those are some of the facts.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Yeah, I think two things. One is the, again, this incredible situation where art and sport Came together, and this brand certainly mastered the art of marketing, right? And expressing the art that exists in sport and the art of storytelling. So I didn't have to choose. It's like, wow, you show up to this place. And it's like your two passions on full display. That's number one. Two, oftentimes told people that Nike was like miniature graduate schools because every two years there was either a World Cup or a Summer Olympics. So imagine the transformation in terms of innovation, in terms of new athletes, in terms of new platforms and technology, in terms of how you can engage with consumers. And so not to mention what your audience is experiencing during that time in terms of how they want to engage with brands. And so I always told people it's almost like.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“What it did do is it gave me a shortcut to start to focus on that. So by the time I got to college, I knew that I wanted to be a designer.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“You have to put yourself out there to ask. I learned that at that point. And they said yes. And so suddenly I was shoulder to shoulder as a 15-year-old with art directors and writers and creative directors and storytellers. And then by the next year, I spent all my time in the art department and not only in there doing menial tasks, they were having me do illustrations. They were having me do page layouts. Again, this is pre-computer. So that showed me at an early age that you could make a living doing what you love. What are you passionate about? Because up until that point, I wasn't necessarily sure how you could essentially make a living doing that. So that was kind of my earliest stage in terms of art as commerce, if you will, was. Within the publishing arena”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Was obsessed with comic books and that idea of heroic and athleticism. But within that, I started to understand how your art can communicate. And through those logos and the visual communication that I saw within the world of sports started to pique my interest in doing this. And I'll take it a step further. I got really lucky when I was 15. I got a job in a warehouse at a small publishing company. Just in the warehouse after school and throughout the summer, just packing books into boxes. But I noticed that there was an art department. In this place, and I'm not sure where I got the courage, but somehow I did. I went in and I said, hey, is it possible for me to spend part of the time in this art department and part of it in the warehouse”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“My parents didn't have much, but they really invested in my passion for art and design. And I shared a bedroom with my two brothers. And then there were three other elements in this bedroom. Okay. One was my drafting table and desk where I drew all the time. Second was a sandfilled weightlifting set that just sat in the middle. And then finally, my parents, which is pretty innovative, they just basically left a wall white and they put a wood frame around that entire wall and they said, this is your mural, and you can paint or draw anything you want on it, right? And again, cramped space. I just want you to think about like three kids in here. So I would draw sports logos, baseball, football, hockey logos on this. This is one of my obsession with branding and the art of how powerful and how logos and symbols can connect and create so much story and emotion. And then the other thing I drew all the time was superheroes because”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Back. It can be fuel for the way we are motivated to get to those points where we're putting work out in the world or helping others so that they don't have to go through that.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“In grade school And so, again, I share those moments more as a way of telling people that make sure you're looking beyond what's on the surface. This gets back to great brand building. Don't just look at the assumptions and observations that we all see. You got to look beyond that to see how people really are experiencing and feeling within their life. And you saw that come to life in some of the campaigns that I worked on, right? Stand up, speak up campaign with Thierry Henry was all about fighting racism that you actually that's invisible. You can't see it, but the players are hearing it. I want this to be uplifting, but I think it's important to your point to understand where we come from and our adversity doesn't need to necessarily be something that holds us back.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“I just hadn't developed the voice to fight with my voice. So obviously it resulted in a lot of altercations throughout my early life and even into my teenage life because it took me a while to develop a voice to be able to combat that with words, right? So that was the beginning, but it didn't take long to start hearing the N-word shortly thereafter.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Absolutely. I was actually in kindergarten and it started happening every day. I was told that the KKK was going to get me. Now, I didn't know what the Ku Klux Klan, the KKK was, but I did know that I was the only person that they were saying it to. And then you'd come into school the next day and you'd hear this, the KKK is going to get you. And that's quite frightening when you're a child, right? And you're in that situation alone and you don't necessarily have the individuals that you could talk to about it. So essentially you kind of bottle that up. And that was the first situation. And the issue oftentimes with kids, certainly, you know, during that particular time is you identify people through their appearance, right? On that. And for me,”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Through life and found myself in positions of influence, I looked out for those individuals on that. Because again, when I grow up in the late 70s and early 80s, Are taught to not see color. Right, that was that period of time, which means how can you be empathetic if your parents or those that are there to support you teachers aren't seeing what your experience is like. So I love today where that is not the case and you do need to see people for how they identify themselves to better equip and empower them to achieve their hopes and dreams.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Not only feel empowered, but also engage my imagination. And then sport as well. You know, sport evens the playing field, if you will. And so that was essentially the other escape where I felt like I wasn't such an outsider on that. And so I think when you experience adversity like that, when you're oftentimes the only one in the room, which I think you can relate to even today, you also look out for other outsiders. You know, you're keeping an eye on other groups or other individuals that haven't been invited, if you will. And so you're right. I took those experiences because they never leave you. No matter how much success you have, you carry some of those chips on your shoulder, but it doesn't have to be used as a negative. And so as I mean my way,”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“Yes, again, I had two passions growing up, sport and art. And really why I got involved in art and art of all sorts, whether it was drawing, painting, sculpting, is growing up as a half-black, half-white, adopted kid into a white family going to an all-white school system and experiencing lots of adversity through racism and other things. Art was the thing that I was able to essentially escape from reality and find myself in the art. And that's when I started discover that I could draw things in accurate detail. You know, I could dream and then put that on paper and it was very powerful and it was a way for me to”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“I got a DM through 23andMe. And that opened up meeting my birth families. The last thing you want to be is rejected. And it was just...”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“It wasn't created to make a statement in culture. It was created to make a statement on the court. And the fact that Moses Malone won on the court in the Air Force won. That's cool. Your authenticity is your cultural currency. The minute your audience can no longer see your original pursuit, they partner with someone else.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT
“That's right, yeah. You know, Nike was really the only brand that was putting people of color in their communication. That showed me you could make a living doing what you love.”
2022-06-09 · The Diary of a CEO · The Marketing Genius Behind Nike: Greg Hoffman · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT