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Nike tries to remake image
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January 30, 1998: 6:18 p.m. ET
Athletic giant drops 'Just Do It' for a kinder, gentler, more attainable 'I Can'
From Correspondent Donald Van de Mark
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Nike this week threw itself into a major sports controversy, strongly endorsing disabled professional golfer Casey Martin in his battle to overturn the Professional Golf Association's "no cart" policy. Meanwhile, Nike is fighting an even bigger battle of its own -- trying to remake its image.
 Winning the sneaker wars just is not what it used to be. Nike is still winning, but sneaker sales have been so weak that Nike stock has lost almost half its value the past year.
Nike has other battle scars, as its take-no-prisoners image may have backfired with consumers. This is why Nike is dumping its advertising slogan "Just Do It" for the softer, more supportive, "I Can."
"I think it allows Nike to show a kinder, gentler face to the public," said Sue Rodin, president of Stars & Strategies. "'I can' is a much more inclusive, general, attainable slogan, if you will."
Analysts say Nike was badly in need of an image make-over, as allegations of unfair treatment of Asian workers continue to dog the company.
Nike is also a victim of its own success, facing the same kind of anti-bigness backlash that companies like Microsoft and AT&T often confront.
"It's almost like these companies are suffering from 'It's lonely at the top syndrome' -- that being a number one brand, when you have such a large margin in terms of dominant market share, it's very difficult for consumers to have the sort of empathy that they might have with a number two or a number three brand," said Dottie Enrico, an advertising reporter for USA Today.
Nike's new marketing strategy coincides with a fundamental broadening in its retail focus. With sneaker sales still in a slump, Nike is making a big push into selling sports apparel --and equipment. 
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