‘Never Again' Is a Commitment, Not a Commercial
At last week's London Marathon, Nike displayed billboards that featured the slogan, 'Never again, until next year,' aiming to capture the sentiment of runners who, after completing a marathon, vow not to run again only to return the following year. But for those of us in the Jewish community, "Never Again" isn't an athletic rallying cry-it's a sacred vow etched into the global conscience after the Holocaust.
The timing? Just days after Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. The result? Tone-deaf at best, deeply offensive at worst.
Nike Sparks Backlash for 'Never Again' Ads at London Marathon
As a granddaughter of Holocaust survivors-my grandparents endured unimaginable horrors at Auschwitz and rebuilt their lives in the United States-I don't take these words lightly. "Never Again" was the rallying cry of survivors, their children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren.
Two out of every three European Jews were killed in the Holocaust, and of the roughly 3.5 million who survived, fewer than 10% left alive today to speak for themselves. So I feel the need to speak up for those who cannot.
When corporations repurpose language that carries historical and emotional weight, they risk trivializing that trauma. In this case, the offense cuts even deeper because of the proximity to Holocaust Remembrance Day. While we make up a tiny fraction of the global population, Jews occupy a disproportionate amount of the news cycle, often related to antisemitism, violence, and erasure.
I don't believe this campaign set out to cause harm. But good intentions don't absolve impact. Maybe the marketing department didn't realize 'Never Again' is a critical reference to the Holocaust, which certainly speaks to the lackadaisical education efforts toward ensuring we don't have another Holocaust.
As marketers, we pride ourselves on storytelling. But when we borrow from someone else's story-especially one written in blood, trauma, and survival-we have a responsibility to tread with care.
This incident is also a cautionary tale for any brand trying to move at the speed of culture. I don't say this lightly, given that 10 years of my career was driven by being on the bleeding edge of real-time social media marketing. Speed without wisdom is recklessness. Tapping into a moment, a trend, or a phrase might win short-term attention-but it's not worth it if you alienate the very communities you claim to support.
There's a phrase in Jewish tradition: 'tikkun olam,' or 'repairing the world.' That's what my grandparents believed in when they rebuilt their lives from the ashes of Auschwitz. That's what I strive for as a business leader and a mother. And that's what brands must embrace if they want to lead not just in revenue, but in responsibility.
And that's why I write this. Because I have both a voice and a responsibility to just do it. Dear reader: When and how will you use your voice?
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