Tag: Slogans

Nikes

RICHARD: Do you really think he was wearing a track suit? … Well, I wonder if he was wearing Nikes also.
LORELAI: Just Do It takes on a whole new meaning, doesn’t it?

Nike, multinational corporation engaged in the design, development, manufacturing, and worldwide marketing and sales of footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories, and services. The company is headquartered in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. The company was founded in 964, as Blue Ribbon Sports by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, and officially became Nike in 1971. The company takes its name from Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. It is the world’s largest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel.

Wieden+Kennedy is Nike’s primary ad agency. It was their co-founder Dan Wieden who coined the famous slogan “Just Do It” for a 1988 Nike ad campaign, which was chosen by Advertising Age as one of the top five ad slogans of the 20th century and enshrined in the Smithsonian Institution. Wieden credits the inspiration for the slogan to “Let’s do it”, the last words spoken by murderer Gary Gilmore before he was executed by firing squad.

“I was having way too much fun”

DEAN: Yeah, I’m back – and I’m glad to find you not blonde.

RORY: Yeah, I was just having way too much fun, so . . .

Rory refers to the Clairol hair lightener advertising slogan, “Is it true …blondes have more fun?”. It was written by advertising director Shirley Polykoff – a blonde – in 1956, and was considered rather risque at the time.

Rory bleakly jokes that she didn’t dye her hair blonde, because she was already having too much fun (of course she’s actually having a terrible time). Ironically, it is Jess’ girlfriend who is the blonde, and having a lot more fun than Rory.

With his usual ability to turn up unannounced wherever Rory happens to be, Dean has returned home from Chicago three hours early. Although this would have put a serious dent in her plans to be with Jess at the festival, she may be more glad to see him than not, considering that Jess is with someone else, and she’s just had a huge fight with her mother.

Note that even while hugging Dean, Rory is looking over his shoulder at Jess, her face hurt and angry.

“A mind is a terrible thing to waste”

JESS: Well, hurry – a mind is a terrible thing to waste.

A mind is a terrible thing to waste is the marketing slogan of the United Negro College Fund, adopted in 1972, and one of the most widely recognised advertising slogans in the US. Despite its name, the UNCF has scholarships open to people of all ethnic backgrounds, although the majority of recipients are African-American.

This is something said as a joke which is all too true. On some level, Jess must realise that he is letting his good mind go to waste, or that it is being wasted.