Nike Culture: The Sign of the Swoosh (Core cultural icons)

This book is one of the first to take an in-depth look at how an advertising image works. It situates the Nike swoosh logo in terms of political economy, sociology, culture and semiotics. Nike Culture describes and deconstructs the themes and structures of Nike′s advertising, outlines the contradictions between image and practice, and explores the logic of the sign economy. In addition, by focusing on issues revolving around representations of race, class and gender, the desire for both community and recognition, and the construction of sport as a spiritual enterprise, the book offers insights into the cultural contradictions embedded in sports culture. Content: Suddenly the Swoosh is Everywhere -- Nike's Global Landscape -- Logomania -- The Great American Philosophy: "Just Do It" -- Just Metacommunicate It -- Appropriation -- Tone of Voice: Metacommunication and Subtext -- Hailing Sports Cultures -- Advertising and the Knowing Wink -- Exposing Commercialism? -- Nike and the Construction of a Celebrity Democracy -- The Ambivalence of Hero Worship -- The Multiple Personalities of Nike -- The Community of Sport and Play -- Transcendence in the Human Community -- Reflexivity and Irreverence -- Constructing Irreverence and Sign Value -- The Absence of the Commodity -- Media-Referential Irreverence -- The Politics of Irreverence -- In Your Face Cynicism -- Irreverence Feeding Cynicism -- You Suck! -- Alienation, Hope and Transcendence: Determinism or Determination? -- Poverty, Hope, and Transcendence -- The "Work" Ethic: Cultural Capital Made the Old-Fashioned Way -- Appropriating African American Culture -- Hyperauthenticity and "Street" Vernacular -- The Shadows of Race and Class -- Signifiers of Alienation and Humanity -- Transcending Difference? Representing Women in Nike's World -- Gender Difference in Nike ads -- Reacting Against the Male Gaze -- Hailing a New Market in a Different Voice -- Constructing Female Celebrity Athletes -- The New Woman in the New Capitalist World Order -- There are Many Paths to Heaven -- Spitituality a la Carte -- Suffering to Win -- Re-Enchanting a Disenchanted World -- "Just Do It," but not on My Planet -- From Cultural Icon to Symbolic Capital. "This book is one of the first to take an in-depth look at how an advertising image works. It situates the Nike swoosh logo in terms of political economy, sociology, culture and semiotics." "This book describes and deconstructs the themes and structures of Nike's advertising, outlines the contradictions between image and practice, and explores the logic of the sign economy. In addition, by focusing on issues revolving around representations of race, class and gender, the desire for both community and recognition, and the construction of sport as a spiritual enterprise, the book offers insights into the cultural contradictions embedded in sports culture."--Jacket Takes a look at how an advertising image works. This title situates the Nike swoosh logo in terms of political economy, sociology, culture and semiotics. It describes and deconstructs the themes and structures of Nike's advertising, outlines the contradictions between image and practice, and explores the logic of the sign economy.