Nike used the Just Do It campaign to tackle a bunch of social issues that resonated with everyone. It was not only an athletic apparel company anymore, the Just Do It tag line was now a social statement that shed light on athletic issues with deeper meanings.
In 1995, they used that campaign to bring attention to women’s rights in sports with the “If you let me play” ads. They featured young girls that stated facts about the benefits of allowing females to play sports.
In the same year, Nike launched a Just Do It commercial that featured an openly gay runner who was also HIV positive. In the 90’s, there was a very bad stigma for AIDS and HIV. There was no glamour about it, these people were sick, spreading it, and dying so no one wanted anything to ads or promoting of people with the disease. Nike wanted to do it, they wanted to appeal to everyone and make a statement so they called up Ric Munoz to be the star in their new commercial.