Project AiMY.

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a i my PROJECT AiMY, NIKE INC Nike Air Technology Dossier Progress Report: December 20th 2002

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Page 3 2 Before Air Technology Page 4—5

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1 Hatfield, Tinker

3 Jordan, Michael Page 6

Sneakers are becoming the most sought after accessories on the streets of London, New York, Tokyo and Paris. Top athletes, designers, rappers, street cats, millionaires, graffiti artists, brand marketers and collectors of all kinds have all played their part in making the sneaker story one of the richest tales that popular culture has ever told. Here at NIKE INC, we are two thirds the way through our undercover project, titled ‘AiMY’. This update reveals our progress so far in taking hold of the footwear industry through this experimental method of exposing the public to mind altering gases. This report is in your possession in the strictest of confidentiality. You must not share any of this information.

West, Kanye 6 Page 10

Carter, Shawn 5 Page 9 Air Compound 4 Page 7—8


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PROJECT AiMY, NIKE INC Nike Air Technology Dossier Progress Report: December 20th 2002

Progress Report: December 20th 2002


PROJECT AiMY Role: Air Technology Designer Tier Two

Almost the entire world has heard of the Nike Air technology, often in references to the ‘Nike Air’ or ‘Air Jordan’ products. Some may even recognize the appearance of the Air technology through an interest in the advantageous nature of a Nike Air product in the world of athletics. However, the majority of the population of the planet will not have heard the name of the individual responsible for making the Nike Air technology so popular, through Project AiMY. Tinker Hatfield is this man. We regard Tinker to be the designer of the perfect shoe to house the Air cushioning unit that now sits in all Nike Air trainer models. On some trainers the Air pocket is the size of the entire sole; it is hidden on some and on others it is clearly visible. In 1979 the patent for Nike Air was approved and then the following year Tinker Hatfield was introduced as the first Industrial Progress Report: December 20th 2002

Designer at Nike. In the 1980s things started moving increasingly quickly. By 1981 Nike became NIKE INC. By the end of 1982 NIKE INC. signed a deal with the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy. All this activity, costing millions of dollars, was in the build up to releasing the first television advertisement for Nike during coverage of the New York Marathon. Following this promotion, the Nike Air Force 1 became the first Nike (basketball) court shoe to make use of the Air technology, however its sales fell short of expectations. Later during his career Tinker Hatfield went on to design the Air Max 1 which is very popular with the youth of today. Tinker’s work on AiMY was complete as of 1992, however he insists he remains a member of the team and is continuing to work on designs for new models utilizing the Nike Air technology. 3


N AIR TECHNOLOGY History: Nike & Sneakers Before Project AiMY

efore Nike became NIKE INC. in 1981, when the start of Project AiMY was outlined (the introduction of Air Technology), Nike was struggling due to rising British and German competition. At Nike we needed an in-depth investigation into ways that we could break through our stagnant ‘white man running image’ and get a strong foothold in the worldwide footwear industry. The brand formed by two men over a firm handshake and $500 wasn’t working anymore. Trust between those behind the scenes of Project AiMY was to become a critical factor in NIKE INC’s success. Before commencing the project we predicted the following. Basketball would be responsible for the creation of desirable sneakers. The emergence of the underground movement of ‘Hip-Hop’ would be responsible for creating the style associated with those

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Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight formed Nike on a handshake, $500 and trust. 4

Progress Report: December 20th 2002


sneakers. The objective for Project AiMY worked on one assumption, that people in the ‘80s would start wearing sneakers to match their style, their clothes and the image they wanted to portray of themselves. As with most popular cultures, sneaker culture started with a group of youths enjoying some recreational fun. Break Dancing was becoming popular with the youth in the early ‘80s, and our research suggested that if they started Break Dancing in the sneakers that we had already designed for more mainstream sports, our sneakers would be a huge success. The Break Dancing demographic had the potential to influence a huge market in future years. In order to successfully guide Project AiMY towards the goal of making Nike INC the most successful footwear company in the world by 2012, we know we need to persuade influential individuals in the public eye to endorse our products. These individuals, or Taste Makers, have not all been selected from the outset. These people are not considered reliable enough to maintain confidentiality over a numer of years before playing their part in our plans. We waited, and will wait until the perfect moment to engage specific people that we require for the completion of Project AiMY by 2012. Figs. 1 to 5 all show designs for the Air technology patent that we submitted in 1979. This patent was filed as a guide for working alongside. No question as to what gas was contained in the ‘Air’ pocket was asked. The most crucial element to Project AiMY was slipped under the noses of the powers that be, in the years before the Project AiMY task force was formed. The models that we intend to house the Air technology, for Project AiMY have been in development since 1982. Progress Report: December 20th 2002

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PROJECT AiMY Role: Air Jordan Taste Maker Tier Three

would eventually wear on court. We caused a stir in the world of NBA by forcing Michael to play in footwear that broke the rules – the Air Jordans were not predominantly white. For this, Michael incurred a large fine for a number of games in his rookie year, of course we paid the fines. Due to the exposure gained through breaking rules, huge crowds turned out to see Michael play, thus increasing the numbers exposed to the Air molecule being emitted from the Air unit within his sneakers. Michael was an extraordinary sportsman in his first decade of playing, he still is. The height he could jump had no real assistance from the Air unit in the heel of his shoe, but people believed it helped. This added to sales figures and exposure of the public to the Air technology and its mind altering process, thus keeping Project AiMY running smoothly.

Prior to starting Project AiMY, Michael Jordan was impressing us at NIKE INC. in the way he was playing basketball at college level. Much like our competition we needed a ‘poster boy’ for that injection of personality to Project AiMY. In bringing Michael on board, we had the opportunity to start over and get things right in our second attempt using the Air technology. After the failure of the initial release of the Air Force 1 model, we discovered the missing ingredient in the campaign, the human element. We needed to not only feature a personality on a poster, but make it appear as though this person was involved in the design process. With Michael we struck gold. In 1984 we picked him up with an exciting sponsorship offer that he could have not have even dreamed of. We had been working for two years on the Air Jordan sneakers that he 6

Progress Report: December 20th 2002


AIR MOLECULE Code Name: AiMY

lthough the (above) structural diagram of the molecule is accurate, cover–up characters have been used to replace the elements present in the chemical in order to preserve secrecy. As you will already be aware, this is the one detail that not even those working on Project AiMY are told. Should this document be seized, this molecule needs to remain secret. If this detail was to be discovered by individuals outside of the NIKE INC secret sections, huge ramifications would be felt throughout our company. Instead, the elements in the above diagram are replaced with short codes that relate to specific moments in time throughout the thirty year history, and ten year future that Project AiMY spans. In a somewhat user friendly way, as we are all from a creative background, we have provided amusement

in making this diagram also tell the story behind the stages that have, and are planned, to make Project AiMY a huge success over the forty year period. The name ‘AiMY’ itself evolved from this diagram. The breakdown couldn’t be simpler, after a number of the short code characters are revealed: Ai – this indicates every part of the project where a model of sneaker containing the Air Technology was featured. M – has a number of meanings, these include; Max (Air Max 1), Marathon and Michael (Jordan). Y – the Yeezy, the model of training shoe that we intend to release in 2012, the final year of Project AiMY. After this point all artefacts will be destroyed to avoid any chance of the public discovering our techniques used in Project AiMY.

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Progress Report: December 20th 2002

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PROJECT AiMY

Logo: formed by two parts, the eternal loop to represent the ongoing cycle of selling Nike Air products, and the triangle, a representation of the sole, soul and soil. The triangle also symbolizes the secret power of those within Project AiMY.

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Progress Report: December 20th 2002


PROJECT AiMY Role: Air Force 1 Taste Maker

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Tier Four

The image of arrogance that comes with being a figure of power within the Hip-Hop industry is the main tool we have utilized in our second attempt at marketing the Air Force 1. We have profited from the following Jay–Z has already worked hard at developing. In collaboration with him, the idea that we felt would influence the largest number of sales was the creation of an ethos of only wearing ‘box-fresh’ and bright white AF1s once. It wasn’t only the public that consequently subscribed to this ethos. Lesser known rappers including Nelly want this image too. Earlier this year, without our direct involvement, Nelly released the track ‘Air Force Ones’. This couldn’t have come at a better time for us, the combination of both activities means the AF1 is the most successful selling sneaker up until this moment in time.

Shawn Carter AKA Jay–Z is a recent Taste Maker for our originally unsuccessful, but recently fruitful Project AiMY trainer model, the Air Force 1. Although originally released in 1982 (the first year of Project AiMY) ahead of the New York Marathon, the AF1 did not sell in the numbers we were expecting. This was possibly down to the confusion over the advertising of a court trainer alongside a marathon. Other Nike models did sell at that time, but they did not house the Air technology unit. Exposure to the effects of the Air technology were minimal and therefor not manifested in terms of follow up sales. To recover from the aforementioned glitch in our method of promoting the AF1 we intend to capitalize on Jay–Z’s rise to the top of the Hip-Hop charts and Hit Parade earlier this year. In Shawn we have found an excellent addition to the Taste Maker team. Progress Report: December 20th 2002

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K AIR MOLECULE Brain Activity & Altering the Amygdala

he units on all ‘Air’ models of our trainers contain and emit the Air chemical. It is crucial that everyone involved with Project AiMY is fully briefed on the thought altering nature of the man–made molecule emitted by our Air products. This is because once aware of the effects of the molecule, you become free from all influence that it previously had over you. In doing this we are protecting you against any side-effects that come as a result of ongoing exposure to our molecule. Rigorous tests have been executed and up until this date we are certain, that once informed, no side-effects exist. The area of the brain affected by the chemical released from the Air unit on each shoe is called the Amygdala. Also known as the Corpus Amygdaloideum, the Amygdala is found in the brain in all complex vertebrates

and has most influence over human behaviour. This almond shaped node is found deep within the medial temporal lobes, the Amygdalae are considered part of the limbic system. The limbic system is the part of the brain most responsible for controlling emotional reactions and memory. More specifically, Project AiMY targets the left side of the Amygdala. This is the side responsible for the more positive reactions, such as forming an attachment to an object. This is the sole purpose of the Air molecule: to alter and influence positive thinking on the uninformed public, when exposed to Nike products that house the Air technology. Once an individual is subjected to the emitted chemical, the chemical gas will work its way into the nasal cavities. Once inhaled the Air molecule travels into the subject’s brain. From here the molecule will latch onto the

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Progress Report: December 20th 2002


Amygdala, it will start to stimulate this area and in doing so, trigger a positive response. This process then lasts for ten to fifteen minutes per one minute of exposure. An individual will continue to appear influenced (happy) for as long as they are exposed to the gas that an Air unit produces. Typical life span for an Air unit is around eighteen months. The release of the chemical in Project AiMY is essential in creating a loyal base of customers for Nike and NIKE INC. By keeping our market feeling emotionally attached and even more importantly, happy in our shoes, we have a much higher chance of both gaining new and encouraging returning customers. This formulated approach is backed up by, and will continue in the future to be supported by, popular faces from within sport and the creative industries. The majority of whom, like we have seen with Nelly, will inevitably have succumbed to the power of the Air molecule through exposure. As a result, they will all have unintentionally contributed towards the continuing success of Nike Air products. When Project AiMY reaches the day of termination in December of 2012, we will have become, if not the leading but, then at least one of the most established footwear brands (Nike) and the largest sports fashion company in the world (NIKE INC.) All other operations that will have been running normally alongside Project AiMY, such as conventional marketing techniques, will continue to do so. By this point we will have influenced enough of the population and our products will continue to sell. All shoes sold by this date will still go on to have lasting effects for another eighteen months due to the standard lifespan of all Air units.

Progress Report: December 20th 2002

M 3NY

AMYGDALA

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PROJECT AiMY Role: Air Yeezy Taste Maker Tier Four

Ai GJK

driving and focus his energy on creating music for the youth of the future. The exposure we will gain through Kanye will come mostly from photographs that the world’s press will take. Kanye is an outspoken character and is starting to make headlines wherever he goes. We will work with him in planned media outbursts that gain him and therefor the shoes he’s wearing a great deal of exposure. We have developed the Air Yeezy models in preparation for the final years of Project AiMY. Kanye will tour worldwide throughout 2012 wearing Yeezys. This will utilize the effect of the Air unit in the Yeezys due to the proximity of the audience, night after night. If needed we can help boost the marketing for this tour in order to guarantee sell-out crowds. According to plans, Kanye will carry Project AiMY in the final five years, it is of utmost importance we protect his wellbeing.

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The future cannot always be predicted. One thing we can be sure of however, is that choosing a musician/artist is far more preferable than a sportsman in the modern world. Sporting careers are nowhere near as long-lasting. Competition can also cause injury that could scupper plans of exposing crowds to Project AiMY’s methodology. Since the year 2000 we have had Kanye on board, unfortunately earlier this year he was involved in a near fatal car accident. Fortunately we were able to help save his life using advanced science techniques that would have otherwise been unavailable to him. We need people like Kanye alive and well if we are to succeed with Project AiMY. Getting him on board was not difficult. The money we offered would be difficult for even the richest of men to turn down. Kanye has agreed to tone down his erratic

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Progress Report: December 20th 2002


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The CAUSE & Effect of PROJECT AiMY The Brain Altering Process – The Amygdala

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Right-side coronal section of brain through intermediate mass of third ventricle. The Amygdala is shown in red.

AMYGDALA, Inside the Brain

Stimulation to the left side of the Amygdala, due to the inhalation of the Air molecule will cause an individual to create positive associations with the object they are faced with. The brain will then subconsciously associate a happy experience with Nike Air.

Progress Report: December 20th 2002

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18 Months

(Lifespan per Air Unit)

PRESSURE (Releases Gas)

Each Air unit containing the Project AiMY molecules should continue emitting the gas for eighteen months. We have designed the Air unit to work to this specification as our research shows this is the average time span that a youth shows care and attention towards a new pair of training shoes. In order to prevent suspicion, this limitation must be made.

x 10,000

On average, every minute in which the Air unit is depressed by the heel, up to ten thousand AiMY molecules are released.

The AiMY molecule is inhaled, where it then travels to the Amygdala and begins its manipulation of emotions.

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For each minute of exposure to the molecule, the effects of the gas will continue to work for at least ten minutes.

10 – 15 Minutes

Minute

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Progress Report: December 20th 2002


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PROJECT AiMY, NIKE INC Nike Air Technology Dossier Progress Report: December 20th 2002

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