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Sunday, October 23, 2005

My Apologies to Nike

A few nights ago, I was watching Oprah with my family. Lance Armstrong and Sheryl Crow were her guests that night, and the whole Oprah set had a LiveStrong theme. Although I have become aware of the wristbands’ noble cause, it wasn’t always that way.

A couple of years ago, Patty started sporting one of those yellow wristbands, back when they were not yet in vogue in Manila. I examined the rubber accessory, saw the Nike swoosh trademark engraved on in, and immediately concluded that it was another one of those Nike marketing tactics. Patty explained that it had something to do with cancer, but I turned a deaf ear on her. Because of what one teacher of mine told us, I had this unfair habit of thinking of Cambodian children forced to work in Nike sweatshops whenever I see anything Nike. (I’m dead if Maria reads this) By the time I reached 4th year, the whole yellow wristband fad caught on, and I was fully convinced that it was a perfect example of Key Concept of Media # 4 (or something) and of Myth of Media # 6; I believed that the wristband was part of Nike’s profit-driven marketing and placed Nike in the guise of a company concerned for the welfare of everyone.

That’s Media Ed for you.

Anyway, the real purpose of this post is to serve as a public apology. Seeing what the wristband has done for cancer patients, cancer awareness and cancer research (this is an Oprah moment), I have been consumed with guilt. I was wrong for thinking that the wristband was a mere marketing tactic. Whether or not Nike actually gives the money to the Lance Armstrong Foundation is not my business, although I’m pretty sure they do. Having experienced the passing of two batchmates because of cancer, I should appreciate the level of popularity that those wristbands have achieved. More than anything, they have made thousands of people more aware of the disease and have given hope to those who are currently battling the sickness.

And so, my apologies.

5 comments:

Ana said...

Hokay...

XXX said...

apology accepted
regards
adam clair

ecurls said...

actually .. i completely agree with your first paragraph - the one that declares Nike using a serious sickness for marketing gain.

they don't give a sh*t about anyone. if they actually did just want to promote cancer awareness, that swoosh would have been nowhere near that rubber band.

i'm a communications studies student too. :-)

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