The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy

by Steve Stoute

As we’ve seen at every stop of tanning, cool is not a given evolutionary principle but something that can happen instantly, with profound implications for brand success. And once you’re there, you’re there. That is, until they decide you are gone. Perpetual cool, therefore, requires long-term commitment—the kind that a brand such as Nike epitomizes. It’s all about being vigilant in staving off the slide toward being “over,” a constant fight against inertia. Perpetual cool demands focus, investment, and frequent refreshing via innovation. The strategy phase of embodying cool is about a full translation when a brand has successfully earned respect and loyalty from the consumer and has received permission to also be cool.