Just Do It Essay

Sharad Haksars Just Do It is part of his very moving serial publication of pictures he calls Brand Irony. This series portrays ironic juxtapositions of world-re todayned brands combined with interesting visuals. In this specific picture, Haskar gives Nikes renowned Swoosh accompanied by its Just Do It slogan on a wall playacting as an advertisement somewhere in India. On the wall next to the ad, a young male child is urinating as a little dog looks on. At first a feeling of excitement comes everywhere the viewer because of Nikes large media presence and its ties to athleticism.The male child urinating next to the slogan seems to then touch a feeling of humor. These emotions soon give way, however, to a much deeper and serious analysis. Soon enjoyment and wittiness winding into anger and sadness as the details of the image slowly come forward. Born in India, Sharad Haksar was probably accustomed to seeing this flesh of situation day in and day out. For this reason, Haksar w as surely biased in the way that he definitely had some kind of disgust with companies exchangeable Nike. He is laborious to aggregation to the same audience Nike would be trying to attract in their advertisements.This would be, for the most part, young and active mass anywhere from the ages 15-40. More than that, he is also trying to appeal to anyone who has an interest in photography, advertising, and the worldwide caper of worker operationation. He finished up his collection of photos entitled Brand Irony in 2006. These photos were meant to show big-market companies advertising in ironic situations and/or places. In this specific photo, his frustration with large corporations exploiting their workers seems to be the central point.Nike is a world power when it comes to brand imagination, and their Just Do It slogan is as recognizable as any. By combining the first glance humor of a boy urinating on a wall, with the much profound message hidden deeper inside the photo, Hak sar creates a brilliant image that begs to be understood. Many serviceman existences see Nike as a model company, one that is always progressing its craft, and constantly trying to better its products. Haksar realizes this, and he wants to shed some light on the other side of the business.He wants to show how huge commercial-grade businesses like Nike affect the countries and communities in which they conduct their trades. Nike has been at the forefront of sweatshop contr oversy in India, and the dirty and drear background of the image appeals to this controversy. The Just Do It slogan, rather than being the upbeat, creative influence it usually is, is now portrayed in a much darker light. In Indonesia alone, 30% of pulverisation workers were reported as being verbally abused, with another 2. 5% experiencing unwanted fondling (Dukcevich).In Honduras, two Nike subcontractors closed down their plants, pushing 1,800 natives out of work. It didnt stop there, though. In complete dis regard for Hondurian law, they refused to pay the $2 million in severance that was rightfully owed. Nikes factory to factory competitiveness creates an ultra-competitive environment that drives down wages and gives factory owners virtually no choice but to disrespect workers basic rights (Greenhouse). The motto Just Do It is hypothetical to cast anger over the viewer, as it is clear that this is not an option to these people life go out never grant them the chance to just now do it.Haksar is trying to bring awargonness to the poverty-laden countries that big companies exploit to inexpensively run their large factories. He is trying to show that these disadvantaged humans slave over products that they cannot and probably never will be able to afford. This underprivileged boy and the rest of this community argon living a life that doesnt allow them to Just Do It, the opportunities just arent there. They orchestrate a life of struggling to survive on insufficient paying jobs, some even as factory line workers in one of Nikes 1000 factories worldwide.It is not unusual for these workers, most of the period women and children ages 10-24, to work 13-hour shifts and come home with a meager $1. 60. This fact becomes staggering when one takes into account that the norm minimum living wage in most of the third world countries that house Nike factories is somewhere nigh $3. 00 to $5. 00 a day (Braddock). Exploited workers in these factories have no chance of living any kind of lifestyle Nike promotes, but rather become the impoverished human beings that are the face of third-world countries around the globe. The boy in the picture that at first seemed so comical is in fact without hoes or a shirt.He is clearly indigent and the littered ground he stands on emphasizes this. A sense of mercy is immediately taken up for the boy, as he cannot even afford to put a braces of shoes on his feet, let alone the ones Nike advertises. Then the focus shifts to the dog. The dog that at first seemed tricksy and harmonious prancing next to the boy, now seems ragged and undersized. As the powerful, commenting images slowly unfold from Haskars photo, the picture transforms from just an advertisement to a much more critical view of Nikes world-power franchise.He is trying to invoke a sense of guilt and remorse in his audience for their participation in buying Nikes products. Moreover, a sense of anger is supposed to be instilled in the viewer, caused by Nikes insistence on advertising in countries where just a miniscule part of the population has the means to buy their products. In this sense, Haksar is appealing to his audience to recognize where and how Nikes products are being made. The innovation in brand imagery Nike has brought to the commercial world is unparalleled.The Swoosh and the Just Do It slogan are reminders that Nike sits in the top of its break when it comes to advertising. Sharad Haksars stunning Nike image in his Brand Irony series is a co mment on this advertising and also an insight into how the products they market are produced. The image comes off, at first, just to be a humorous depiction of a boy urinating on a wall, but in fact is trying to shed light on the cruel and inhumane ways workers are exploited by companies like Nike. What the general public sees is Nikes innovation and their leadership in their industry. What they dont see are images like this.