Our thinking on business and brand, and what makes them grow
Just think it
While some people muse that the hardest part about running is tying your laces… well, you know what Nike says. Image: Adobe Stock
By Sue Ann Ho, Founder
30 June 2025 • 4 min read
There are times when we all know what we should do, but we struggle to follow through. Nike didn't solve this struggle. It simply gave it three words.
TAKEAWAYS
- A great brand message doesn’t sell products; it speaks to our aspirations.
- The most powerful brand messages move beyond advertising and engagements, and into our internal motivations.
- By giving a voice to the person we aspire to be, a brand can build a timeless connection.
Possibly the most famous three words after “I love you,” just mention Nike and you’ll know which words we’re alluding to. It’s a powerful brand message too. With those simple words, Nike makes its sales pitch long before anyone even thinks about buying their workout shoes.
A brand message that works in the background
Nike’s slogan doesn’t wait for your fingers to walk to their online store. It surfaces when you’re choosing between waking up or “five more minutes”, or when you’re staring at those running shoes by the door, trying to talk yourself into the workout you’ve already promised yourself you’d do.
The brand message lives in your head, subliminally participating in your internal negotiations. And finally, when you’re ready to buy new shoes as a show of commitment to yourself, swoosh comes Nike to the top of your consideration queue. Even though you typically prefer adidas or ASICS. And even if for only a second. Nike stands a real fighting chance for your money.
A brand message that transcends time
Nike isn’t the only brand that got their message sorted.
“You never really own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation.” This very brand message gives you a good reason to invest in Patek at the same time you invest in your next generation. (Whether or not you actually have a next generation, yet, is besides the point).
And then there’s De Beers who first put the idea in our heads that “a diamond is forever” back in 1947. Before we were even born, De Beers was already celebrating our weddings and engagements by making diamonds the de facto symbol of everlasting love, commitment and marriage.
These famous and powerful brand messages aren’t passing fads. Patek Philippes have been passed down at least one generation since 1996. And Nike has been pushing us to put willing spirit above weak flesh for 37 years.
All three brands have found their way into our minds, if not our hearts too. That’s where the most powerful brand messages live. Not in advertisements. Not on social media. But in the very emotions that motivate us.
A strong brand message often equals human truth
Nike is about athletic performance technology, but we don’t see a trace of that in its famous three words. The message doesn’t mention cushioning, breathability or arch support. It speaks to something deeper.
When Nike tells us to act, it’s tapping into a fundamental human truth: we all know what we should do but we struggle to follow through. The gap between intention and action is as old as humanity itself. Nike didn’t create not solve this struggle. It simply gave it three words.
When brands like Nike, Patek Philippe and De Beers succeed with messages that last decades, they discovered brilliant brand marketing tactics in timeless human truths.
This is how powerful brand messages are really built. They don’t try to be clever or catchy. They apply a deeper principle: Memorable brand messages often inspire you to aspire. They give a voice not just to our internal struggles, but to the better versions of ourselves we hope to become.
And it’s not just the big brands with big budgets that can do this. Smaller businesses like the tuition centre that promises to unlock a child’s potential taps into the belief that kids can be prepared for a successful life at an early age—a human truth we see in many parents across Singapore.
Brand building isn’t hidden theory. It’s all around us. By noticing how successful brands connect with people, we can take the guesswork out of building brands that stand out and grow.
