Not Quite There: Nike’s Diversity and Inclusion Agenda and Japan’s Readiness

Abstract

This chapter analyzes recent ads created by Japanese sports brands celebrating female empowerment, with a focus on ads by Nike Japan. Most of these ads, which can be found on YouTube, illustrate a nuanced maneuver on the part of Nike Japan as they heed Nike headquarter’s diversity strategy but simultaneously try to calibrate its social message to be more acceptable to the general Japanese public. The chapter argues that in this effort to cater to Japanese society, Nike Japan’s message has become increasingly conservative in tone and ironically less geared to advancing the diversity and inclusion agenda. A comparison with other domestic competitors is made to highlight Nike’s portrayal of female athletes.