The punk path to landing Nike as a client

You want Nike as a client. But you're a zero-budget startup. Here's the wild way two founders landed the swoosh...

Early 2000s, New York City.

Two young upstarts have just quit their jobs to start a creative agency. The kind of move that makes your parents nervous.

But hey, they've got a plan. Sort of.

They're gonna launch a magazine.

Here's the thing though - magazines need advertisers. The pair know Nike would be perfect for their focus on music and culture.

You're in their shoes. Cash is tight. The phone isn't ringing. And you're running out of runway. What's your play?

A) Dial for dollars until your fingers bleed
B) Chase down some investment (maybe that trust fund kid from college?)
C) Something that skirts the line between genius and lawsuit

Want to know what they actually did?

They straight up lifted Nike ads from other magazines. Photocopied them. Ran them without asking.

This generated zero income. And when Nike's agency Wieden & Kennedy found out, they were... let's say "less than thrilled."

But then something interesting happened.
Nike called.

Not long after, our heroes found themselves pitching for the Air Force One 25th anniversary campaign. Against W+K themselves.

And they won.

Fast forward to today: Cornerstone agency and The Fader magazine (founded by Jon Cohen and the late Rob Stone) have landed more Nike projects than they can count.

Sometimes the most punk rock move is the one that works.

What would you have done?

P.S. For the full story of Cornerstone and The Fader, catch Jon Cohen on the Bob Lefsetz podcast.