It began, as all great legends do, with an absurdly simple idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two words, scribbled in the middle of the night by an ad man with a wry sense of humour: Bo Knows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The year was 1989. Nike, fresh off its \u201cJust Do It\u201d revolution, had a new challenge. They had invented the cross-training shoe, but needed an icon \u2014 someone who could represent power, agility, and versatility across sports. And in Bo Jackson, they found their myth made flesh: an NFL running back who also hit towering home runs in Major League Baseball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bo wasn\u2019t just an athlete. He was a phenomenon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s when Jim Riswold, the brilliant (and mischievous) copywriter at Wieden+Kennedy, had a spark. One evening, over drinks with Nike marketing head Tom Clarke, they joked about famous \u201cBos\u201d: Bo Derek, Beau Brummell, Little Bo Peep\u2026 and then, Bo Diddley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That name lingered. Riswold went home, thought about it, and dreamed the whole commercial. When he woke up, he had the punchline:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBo, you don\u2019t know Diddley.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n