Welcome to Brand Dump, a weekly newsletter where I share things I’ve learnt or discovered around branding, creative direction and tools that are changing our industry.

Today’s topics:

Last week I slated Nike a little, comparing their brand strategy to Puma’s and how they’ve failed over the years to adapt to changing consumer insights.

But Nike’s latest campaign with A'ja Wilson is exactly what modern brand building should look like, a step in the right direction for the brand, and one that has been happening across the last few months.

The campaign itself consists of several films that highlight Wilson's impact both on and off the court.

What I think is different with this campaign, compared to ones of Nike’s old brand, is the focus on athlete-first storytelling with a focus on cultural relevance and community engagement.

Here's what's fascinating:

What I love most? They're not just selling shoes—they're building a movement.

The campaign features three distinct films, each hitting different emotional notes:

This is smart brand building in action.

Nike's approach highlights the importance of authentic storytelling and community connection in building brand loyalty, particularly among younger consumers who value representation and inclusivity.

Stop what you're doing and mark June 4th on your calendar.

Shaquille O’Neal is spearheading a significant revival of the Reebok brand through a new six-episode docuseries titled "Power Moves", set to premiere on Netflix.

Reebok's recent history has been marked by challenges, including a significant decline over the past two decades

After being acquired by Adidas in 2005 for $3.8 billion, the brand struggled to regain its footing, leading to its sale to Authentic Brands Group in 2021, known for revitalizing legacy brands.

Shaq's new Netflix docuseries "Power Moves" isn't just content—it's a masterclass in brand revival.

Here's why this is huge:

By focussing on Founder-led content, they’re turning their customers into active participants who are invested in the brands rebuild.

What makes this so great is they’re tapping into both nostalgia, showcasing Shaq and Allen Iverson leading the rebuild, and community engagement, highlighting their strategy to engage young athletes, to drive brand growth and customer loyalty.

After being sold by Adidas in 2021, most brands would play it safe.

Instead, they're letting us behind the curtain to watch the rebuild in real-time.

What's brilliant here is how they're turning their challenges into content.

With a clear focus on authentic storytelling and community engagement, this will be essential for Reebok building lasting relationships and driving brand loyalty.

The sports brand landscape is shifting beneath our feet, and I’m sure you can spot some common trends here…

Both Nike and Reebok are proving that authentic community connections trump traditional celebrity endorsements. It's not about talking AT your audience anymore—it's about creating WITH them.

The era of 30-second spots isn't dead, but it's evolving. Brands are betting big on longer-format content that builds deeper emotional connections.

Here's what this means for brand builders:

👉 Let your community co-create your narrative

👉 Don't hide your challenges—document the journey

👉 Think beyond traditional ad formats

The brands winning in 2025 aren't just selling products—they're building movements and connecting with their audience.

Whether it's Nike's community-first approach or Reebok's transparent transformation, the message is clear: authenticity and community-first storytelling are your most powerful tools.

Remember: In a world of infinite scroll and content powered by advances in AI, depth and authenticity will win every time.

Build something worth talking about, and then let your community tell the story.

This section highlights AI tools and learnings that I’ve experienced throughout the past week. Everything below is organic and non-sponsored unless indicated.

‣ If you haven’t heard or learnt about AI agents yet, you need to listen to Steven Bartlett’s latest Diary of a CEO podcast. They had an emergency debate about how AI agents are going to impact every industry.

‣ ChatGPT released a video this week outlining how you can create on-brand visuals using OpenAI’s new image generation feature. Whilst this may look great, there are a few key issues for brands that I’ll outline in a future article.

‣ Charlie Hill’s LinkedIn post outlines Veed’s new 3.0 video editing software that is going to change the game when it comes to video content creation. Content creation is no longer going to be the hurdle with tools like this automating ‘almost’ the entire process. Authenticity will become the seperator.

This section includes things I have found interesting and helpful this week.

Harrison Green created a video for On running, showcasing how powerful creator content can be for branding. Joseph Smith breaks down what makes the video so impactful in his LinkedIn post.

Rising Ballers released an article that outlines the importance of Nostalgia when it comes to building Football brands. This is not only importance for football brands, but also other sports. Which is what makes Shaq’s new Reebok documentary so great, as it blends nostalgia with Gen-Z athletes.

Samir Chaudry released a snippet from one of his podcasts where he talks about Target’s missed opportunity when it comes to longer form video content. He emphasises that brands need to think about themselves as networks with shows.

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