BEAVERTON, Ore., Jul 17, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- On the twentieth anniversary of the launch of 'Just Do It', Nike (NYSE:NKE) today kicks off its global advertising campaign for Beijing, with a new emotionally charged 60-second commercial, "Courage."

The TV ad celebrates one of the most inspirational brand statements of all time, 'Just Do It', by capturing the very essence of an athlete's motivation. The campaign also provides an innovative interactive platform, through nike.com/courage, where consumers can explore the story behind each iconic moment of the commercial. In the US and Europe, they can join the conversation by adding their own personal comments on the site starting next week.

The high-energy ad features 31 different Nike athletes from over a dozen different countries, including USA, Russia, Portugal, Switzerland, Afghanistan and South Africa. Some recognizable athlete faces from the past and present are featured and include: Michael Jordan, Cristiano Ronaldo, Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, Liu Xiang, Michael Johnson, Steve Prefontaine, LeBron James, John McEnroe, Wayne Rooney, Joan Benoit and Kobe Bryant. The ad also includes amazing athlete stories such as seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong and closes with South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius.

"The commercial celebrates courage as the essence of the 'Just Do It' spirit," said Joaquin Hidalgo, Nike Vice President of Global Brand Marketing. "The fast paced cut takes viewers on an inspiring journey highlighting obstacles athletes at every level must face and overcome."

The TV commercial will kick off in Nike's Asia Pacific and Americas regions on July 19th. In Europe, the Middle East and Africa regions the ad will begin select airing on July 25th and in the USA on August 8th. The 60 and 30-second ads were developed with Wieden+Kennedy Portland and feature the soundtrack "All These Things That I've Done" by The Killers.

Media can visit www.nikemedia.com for more information on all of Nike's innovative products for Beijing and the Nike+ Human Race.

About Nike

NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly owned Nike subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Cole Haan Holdings Incorporated, which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Umbro Ltd., a leading United Kingdom-based global football (soccer) brand; and Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information visit http://www.nikebiz.com/.

SOURCE: NIKE, Inc.

NIKE, Inc.
New York Media Relations, 212-367-4447