At Sunday’s London Marathon, a Nike billboard caught the attention of spectators and critics alike. It read, “Never Again. Until Next Year,” in bold black letters on a red background—meant to echo the familiar joke among runners who swear off marathons, then sign up for another. But not everyone was laughing.
The amount of people that had to approve this ad from @Nike and didn’t notice anything wrong is kind of insane. pic.twitter.com/E91ul06ylW
— Yehuda Teitelbaum (@chalavyishmael) April 28, 2025
Why it struck a nerve
For many, “Never Again” is a phrase tied to Holocaust remembrance. Its use dates back to the post-World War II era and has been invoked for decades as a moral reminder not to forget the atrocities of the Nazi regime. The red and black colour scheme of the Nike ad only amplified the sense of unease for critics, with some pointing to visual parallels to propaganda from the Third Reich.
The ad sparked immediate discussion and criticism on social media, with many users pointing out the painful associations of the phrase. David Schlusselberg, a New Jersey-based rabbi, weighed in on X: “To take a slogan about the Holocaust, and use it for entertainment, is simply grotesque. Nike—Just DON’T do it.” Other runners said that they understood Nike’s intent behind the advertisement. “As a Jewish runner, I didn’t even see the billboard as antisemitic. If you’ve ever run any distance—but particularly a marathon—you’d know the words “never again” are almost all you can think as your muscles cramp to the point of total exhaustion,” one runner wrote on X.
This Nike advertisement was displayed at the end of the London Marathon.
To take a slogan about the Holocaust, and use it for entertainment, is simply grotesque.Nike – Just DON’T do it. pic.twitter.com/tBadDgQKrt
— Rabbi David Schlusselberg (@RavSchluss) April 28, 2025
Nike’s response
Louis Keene, a reporter at The Forward, shared Nike’s official apology. “We did not mean any harm and apologize for any we caused,” the statement read. The company added that the billboard was part of its “Winning Isn’t Comfortable” campaign, which included a series of motivational phrases used by runners.
Nike says it will not be using the term “Never Again” going forward after the phrase was used in a London billboard promoting the marathon.
The all-red billboard said “Never Again. Until Next Year.”
“We did not mean any harm and apologize for any we caused,” Nike said. pic.twitter.com/Aqd9wZGpyE
— Louis Keene (@thislouis) April 28, 2025
Other slogans in the series included “This is bloody tough,” and “Remember why you signed up for this.” Nike said the billboard language was based on phrases commonly used by runners and emphasized that it “condemns anti-semitism.” The company confirmed the billboards have since been taken down.
Nike also faced recent scrutiny recently over a women-focused ad that played during the Super Bowl, with some critics calling out the company for how it represents female athletes. The campaign, intended to celebrate women’s strength, drew criticism for overlooking Nike’s past treatment of female athletes, particularly around issues like pregnancy and sponsorship, leading to renewed calls for the brand to better support women.
