Just buy it: Nike advertising aimed at Glamour readers: A critical feminist analysis

Tamara: Journal of Critical Postmodern Organization Science, 2001 by Arsenault, Darin J, Fawzy, Tamer

Method

Magazine Choice

In order to find Nike advertisements aimed at women, we reviewed a variety of women's consumer magazines. Glamour magazine was finally selected as representative of Nike advertisements aimed at women in 1999 based on (1) a personal communication from a representative of Wieden & Kennedy, one of Nike's two advertising agencies, that listed a series of publications in which Nike advertises its products; (2) competitive circulation statistics of this magazine compared to other magazines similar in content (Katz & Katz, 1997); and (3) statistical extrapolations of women in the nation who read this magazine compared to other magazines aimed at women, based on findings of the Simmons Market Research Bureau (1994). First, communication from the aforementioned marketing agency listed Glamour amongst a variety of other magazines aimed at women in the 18-34 market. Second, Glamour appears to have subscription rates that are comparable, if not better, than many of these magazines (Katz & Katz, 1997). We reasoned that Glamour magazine must contain content that attracts a substantive proportion of readers. Third, to partially verify this rationale, a survey compiled by the Simmons Market Research Bureau (1994) was consulted. This source provides data from a survey on media consumption based on a national sample of 22,051 adults, which the Simmons Market Research Bureau has determined as projective to the contiguous population in the United States ages 18 and over. Results here indicate that more women in the 18-34 age range read Glamour compared to similar magazines such as Vogue or Seventeen. Because of its general competitiveness in terms of circulation, Glamour was determined to be the vehicle from which Nike advertisements would be assessed for this year.

More should be said about Glamour in order to provide a greater understanding of the impact of this magazine on its American audience. Established in 1939 and published monthly by Conde Nast Publications, Glamour sold a total of 2,200,304 magazines, accountable by individual subscriptions numbering 1,060,886 and single sales at 1,139,418 (Katz & Katz, 1997). Simmons Market Research Bureau (1994) provided more data, in that of the 18-34 age range of Glamour readers, 33.8% were aged 18-24 and 32.5% were aged 25-34. An examination of readership broken down by ethnicity indicated that 85.4% of its readers were Caucasian, followed by AfricanAmerican at 12.2%, then by Latino-American readers at 11.5%, with Other category representing the remainder proportion. Finally, distinctions in readership based on educational attainment was as follows: graduated from high school only: 39.7%; attended some college: 26.6%; graduated from college: 20.4%; and attended some high school: 12.4%. It could be hence said, based on this data, that the average reader had a high school education, was Caucasian, and somewhere within the 18-34 age range. Katz and Katz (1997, p. 893) offer further information about the quality of person who reads Glamour.