Latest news with #Do


Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Nike fans are just learning creepy meaning behind 'Just Do It' slogan after 37 years
One of the world's most successful and most famous marketing slogans, Nike's 'Just Do It' is hiding a much more sinister past with ties to a convicted Death Row murderer Nike is one of the world's largest sports and clothing brands – and chances are that at some point, you've owned a pair of one of their trainers. But, before the business was valued at more than $100 billion, it was a much smaller operation started by University of Oregon track athlete Phil Knight and his coach, Bill Bowerman. The brand has lived by its classic slogan 'Just Do It' for nearly all of its history. This motto has been posted across everything from giant billboards to hoodies worn around the world. It seems perfectly innocent and motivational at first glance, but people are only just realising it has much more sinister origins. It turns out the slogan has a chilling connection with an infamous double murderer who caught headlines around the world nearly 50 years ago. The words plastered across your favourite T-shirt can actually all be traced back to the dying words of Gary Gilmore, a convicted killer who was handed a death sentence by firing squad in Utah in 1977. He gained attention after the verdict. His mother and other campaigners tried to get his sentence switched to life in jail, but instead Gilmore insisted he wanted to face a firing squad. Before lining up in front of police gunmen, Gilmore was asked if he had any last words, to which he replied, "Let's do it". Around 10 years later, marketing executive Dan Wieden was brought onto the Nike project, tasked with coming up with a catchy slogan. Unearthing the story, MrBallen on YouTube explained: "So for hours they sat pitching different ideas, pitching different concepts of who they could elevate this brand. "But even though a lot of the ideas were promising, nothing really felt right. There was no slam-dunk idea, or at least not yet. So as Dan is beginning to get frustrated, realising he doesn't have many great ideas, he suddenly has this epiphany. "As Dan was just sitting there thinking about Gilmore's execution, he remembered a very particular detail and for whatever reason, he thought 'Oh my goodness, why could we use that'." A small tweak of the words and the "Just Do It" slogan was born, going on to double the company's worth and making it a global icon. But understanding the origin has understandably left many people feeling uneasy. Responding to the YouTube video, one commenter wrote: "I'll never hear that slogan the same way again", while another added: "Yeah, I don't know if I want to do it at all anymore." Although nobody understands what brought Dan Wieden's mind to the chilling case from ten years before that meeting, the slogan has undoubtedly gone down in history as one of the most successful marketing moves ever.


South Wales Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Notting Hill Carnival not the cause of knife crime, event boss says
Matthew Phillip told the crowd at the festival's launch party on Thursday that money raised from the local council and the mayor of London would be put towards security measures at the event, which takes place over the August bank holiday weekend. The carnival has also partnered with actor Idris Elba's Hope Foundation and its campaign Don't Stop Your Future (DSYF) to combat knife and violent crime in London communities. Mr Phillip urged people not to scapegoat the carnival, which has faced criticism in recent years for not tackling violent crime, including the murders of two people last year – Cher Maximen, who was killed in front of her three-year-old daughter, and chef Mussie Imnetu. Takayo Nembhard, 21, was stabbed in 2022. Mr Phillip said: 'Knife crime is not a carnival issue. Youth violence is not a carnival issue. 'These are serious national issues, and while some statistics have improved, the roots remain poverty, isolation, racial inequality, disconnection and the absence of hope, especially for young people. 'Carnival does not cause these problems. It doesn't create violence. In fact, for many, it offers relief from it.' Concerns over safety at the carnival have also contributed to insecurity about its future, and the festival's organisers wrote to the Government earlier this year to ask for urgent funding. Carnival chairman Ian Comfort requested more funding from the Government to steward the event and address safety concerns, amid ongoing warnings from police that there could be a tragedy. Eventually City Hall, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council and Westminster city council provided money, allowing this year's event to take place. Mr Phillip said: 'What began as a small gathering of courage on the streets of Notting Hill has grown into one of the largest cultural events in the world. 'That growth brings joy, but it also brings a huge responsibility. Each year, over a million people walk through these streets. 'We are strengthening every element of our operational infrastructure: more trained stewards, expanded CCTV coverage and parade co-ordination, faster response systems for stewards and safety teams, and expanded crowd management infrastructure and personnel, to give an example of a few of the initiatives we're embarking on. 'These are not tick boxes. They're a real commitment to care, to precision and to the protection of the community.' The carnival will run from August 23 to 25 and features parades, steelpan costumes, bands, sound systems and stages. People will be invited to join a 72-second silence at 3pm on Sunday and Monday to honour people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire and Kelso Cochrane, who was murdered in a racially motivated attack in Notting Hill in 1959.


North Wales Chronicle
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Notting Hill Carnival not the cause of knife crime, event boss says
Matthew Phillip told the crowd at the festival's launch party on Thursday that money raised from the local council and the mayor of London would be put towards security measures at the event, which takes place over the August bank holiday weekend. The carnival has also partnered with actor Idris Elba's Hope Foundation and its campaign Don't Stop Your Future (DSYF) to combat knife and violent crime in London communities. Mr Phillip urged people not to scapegoat the carnival, which has faced criticism in recent years for not tackling violent crime, including the murders of two people last year – Cher Maximen, who was killed in front of her three-year-old daughter, and chef Mussie Imnetu. Takayo Nembhard, 21, was stabbed in 2022. Mr Phillip said: 'Knife crime is not a carnival issue. Youth violence is not a carnival issue. 'These are serious national issues, and while some statistics have improved, the roots remain poverty, isolation, racial inequality, disconnection and the absence of hope, especially for young people. 'Carnival does not cause these problems. It doesn't create violence. In fact, for many, it offers relief from it.' Concerns over safety at the carnival have also contributed to insecurity about its future, and the festival's organisers wrote to the Government earlier this year to ask for urgent funding. Carnival chairman Ian Comfort requested more funding from the Government to steward the event and address safety concerns, amid ongoing warnings from police that there could be a tragedy. Eventually City Hall, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council and Westminster city council provided money, allowing this year's event to take place. Mr Phillip said: 'What began as a small gathering of courage on the streets of Notting Hill has grown into one of the largest cultural events in the world. 'That growth brings joy, but it also brings a huge responsibility. Each year, over a million people walk through these streets. 'We are strengthening every element of our operational infrastructure: more trained stewards, expanded CCTV coverage and parade co-ordination, faster response systems for stewards and safety teams, and expanded crowd management infrastructure and personnel, to give an example of a few of the initiatives we're embarking on. 'These are not tick boxes. They're a real commitment to care, to precision and to the protection of the community.' The carnival will run from August 23 to 25 and features parades, steelpan costumes, bands, sound systems and stages. People will be invited to join a 72-second silence at 3pm on Sunday and Monday to honour people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire and Kelso Cochrane, who was murdered in a racially motivated attack in Notting Hill in 1959.

South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Notting Hill Carnival not the cause of knife crime, event boss says
Matthew Phillip told the crowd at the festival's launch party on Thursday that money raised from the local council and the mayor of London would be put towards security measures at the event, which takes place over the August bank holiday weekend. The carnival has also partnered with actor Idris Elba's Hope Foundation and its campaign Don't Stop Your Future (DSYF) to combat knife and violent crime in London communities. Mr Phillip urged people not to scapegoat the carnival, which has faced criticism in recent years for not tackling violent crime, including the murders of two people last year – Cher Maximen, who was killed in front of her three-year-old daughter, and chef Mussie Imnetu. Takayo Nembhard, 21, was stabbed in 2022. Mr Phillip said: 'Knife crime is not a carnival issue. Youth violence is not a carnival issue. 'These are serious national issues, and while some statistics have improved, the roots remain poverty, isolation, racial inequality, disconnection and the absence of hope, especially for young people. 'Carnival does not cause these problems. It doesn't create violence. In fact, for many, it offers relief from it.' Concerns over safety at the carnival have also contributed to insecurity about its future, and the festival's organisers wrote to the Government earlier this year to ask for urgent funding. Carnival chairman Ian Comfort requested more funding from the Government to steward the event and address safety concerns, amid ongoing warnings from police that there could be a tragedy. Eventually City Hall, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council and Westminster city council provided money, allowing this year's event to take place. A member of the adults parade in 2024 (Lucy North/PA) Mr Phillip said: 'What began as a small gathering of courage on the streets of Notting Hill has grown into one of the largest cultural events in the world. 'That growth brings joy, but it also brings a huge responsibility. Each year, over a million people walk through these streets. 'We are strengthening every element of our operational infrastructure: more trained stewards, expanded CCTV coverage and parade co-ordination, faster response systems for stewards and safety teams, and expanded crowd management infrastructure and personnel, to give an example of a few of the initiatives we're embarking on. 'These are not tick boxes. They're a real commitment to care, to precision and to the protection of the community.' The carnival will run from August 23 to 25 and features parades, steelpan costumes, bands, sound systems and stages. People will be invited to join a 72-second silence at 3pm on Sunday and Monday to honour people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire and Kelso Cochrane, who was murdered in a racially motivated attack in Notting Hill in 1959.

Leader Live
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Notting Hill Carnival not the cause of knife crime, event boss says
Matthew Phillip told the crowd at the festival's launch party on Thursday that money raised from the local council and the mayor of London would be put towards security measures at the event, which takes place over the August bank holiday weekend. The carnival has also partnered with actor Idris Elba's Hope Foundation and its campaign Don't Stop Your Future (DSYF) to combat knife and violent crime in London communities. Mr Phillip urged people not to scapegoat the carnival, which has faced criticism in recent years for not tackling violent crime, including the murders of two people last year – Cher Maximen, who was killed in front of her three-year-old daughter, and chef Mussie Imnetu. Takayo Nembhard, 21, was stabbed in 2022. Mr Phillip said: 'Knife crime is not a carnival issue. Youth violence is not a carnival issue. 'These are serious national issues, and while some statistics have improved, the roots remain poverty, isolation, racial inequality, disconnection and the absence of hope, especially for young people. 'Carnival does not cause these problems. It doesn't create violence. In fact, for many, it offers relief from it.' Concerns over safety at the carnival have also contributed to insecurity about its future, and the festival's organisers wrote to the Government earlier this year to ask for urgent funding. Carnival chairman Ian Comfort requested more funding from the Government to steward the event and address safety concerns, amid ongoing warnings from police that there could be a tragedy. Eventually City Hall, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council and Westminster city council provided money, allowing this year's event to take place. Mr Phillip said: 'What began as a small gathering of courage on the streets of Notting Hill has grown into one of the largest cultural events in the world. 'That growth brings joy, but it also brings a huge responsibility. Each year, over a million people walk through these streets. 'We are strengthening every element of our operational infrastructure: more trained stewards, expanded CCTV coverage and parade co-ordination, faster response systems for stewards and safety teams, and expanded crowd management infrastructure and personnel, to give an example of a few of the initiatives we're embarking on. 'These are not tick boxes. They're a real commitment to care, to precision and to the protection of the community.' The carnival will run from August 23 to 25 and features parades, steelpan costumes, bands, sound systems and stages. People will be invited to join a 72-second silence at 3pm on Sunday and Monday to honour people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire and Kelso Cochrane, who was murdered in a racially motivated attack in Notting Hill in 1959.