BRAND

ATHLETES

Athletes are at the core of the Nike Brand. We celebrate their extraordinary ability, their tireless effort and monumental achievements. There should always be an athlete presence in the Nike workplace. 

Careful selection of athlete imagery is important to celebrate diversity and inclusion. Legacy 

Retired athletes who have a long-standing relationship with the brand and are in good standing. Representation of legacy athletes in Nike workplaces can provide powerful points of human connection to the brand story. Typically, this will be a safe investment, as the relationship is unlikely to change. 

Namesake 

Sport icons who have been selected as namesakes for Nike properties and who represent a persistent and positive connection to Nike history and ethos. In these cases, it is generally safe to invest in storytelling around these athletes. 

NIKE-sponsored 

Sport figures who are currently active and embody the Brand in various ways. Though current standing with Nike is positive, we should be mindful that it might not always remain so and therefore avoid embedding their stories too deeply in branded environments. Current athlete stories are best used in limited applications that can be changed out easily and without excessive cost should the relationship between Nike and the athlete change. 

Local Heroes 

Representing local sport heroes in Nike workplaces can be a very effective way of inspiring and building community, but it is important to understand that popular tastes and perceptions tend to change rapidly, so any stories told should be considered as part of a larger whole or as components that are easily changed or updated. 

ATHLETES

"ALWAYS LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF THE ATHLETE."

Phil K. Knight, Co-founder, Nike

Sports Marketing & Image Licensing

All athletes should be current Nike athletes with preexisting contracts, or retired athletes who are in good standing relations with the brand and are not under contract with competitor brands.

It is critical that all athlete likenesses used within a Nike space are cleared by the athlete or their management. All clearance requests should be made by your local Sports Marketing representative. When reaching out for clearance, be sure to include any project context, such as image placement, cropping and adjacencies to other athletes. Please be aware that clearance requests can often take a substantial amount of time to approve. 

Athlete imagery is typically licensed through Getty Images, with pricing determined by your region's Getty representative. Prior to purchasing licensing rights, imagery should be cleared by Sports Marketing. Be sure to document license expiration dates within project closeout files. 

For assets found on Nike's Digital Asset Management (DAM) site, Dimension Six, be sure to review the usage rights information included with the asset. 

Design Considerations

• Athletes can be represented using game-day photography, artistic interpretation or product initiative materials. 
• Wherever possible, display a diverse representation of athletes. 
• Carefully monitor athlete graphics to ensure they are up-to-date. 
• Replace when an athlete no longer represents Nike, switches teams/uniforms, or is otherwise dated. 
• Always treat athlete imagery with the greatest respect by giving careful consideration to placement, scale, materials, crops and visual treatments.

Carefully consider athlete image placement in the workplace environment to inspire and build excitement. 

Do 

• Consider sight lines. Athletes represented at heroic scale are best viewed from a distance. 
• Treat athletes with respect. Choose placement, materials and image treatments that best feature and celebrate their achievements. 
• Feature namesake athletes prominently, in areas with maximum visibility. 

Do not 

• Position athlete images where the viewing angle is too extreme or the artwork is only visible from up close. This can create a confusing or overwhelming experience. 
• Place images of a celebrated athlete only near a restroom. 
  

Examples