Nike Challenges Chinese Stereotypes In Campaign For Children

Nike is "challenging Chinese parents to stop being overprotective" or underestimating their children's sporting ability through its "Don't Call Me Precious" campaign, according to Erin Lyons of MARKETING WEEK. Produced alongside R/GA Shanghai, the campaign features a series of videos starring "some of China's up and coming sports stars" in running, boxing, football and basketball -- all aged between 10 and 13. The campaign "aims to resist the trend of saccharine parental sentimentality" toward children in China, with the featured kids making it "very clear" they do not want to be "babied." The digital campaign will be supported by out-of-home advertising and a "meme generator" which enables kids to create their own inspirational posters. Nike Greater China VP of Marketing Steve Tsoi said, "When it comes to sports, children have the grit, determination and fearlessness of adults. They aren't constrained by their age, but they're sometimes constrained by parents' fears of them falling or failing" (MARKETING WEEK, 6/21).