Stuff We Like: Old Nike ACG Adverts

Classic ads from the Swoosh’s outdoor range

Launched back in 1989, Nike’s ACG range was the Swoosh’s stab at making full-on, no-holds-barred outdoor clobber—or as they put it, ‘All Conditions Gear’.

A development of the earlier Nike Hiking range, ACG saw the American sportswear powerhouse apply their technical know-how (and financial clout) to the burgeoning outdoor world—perfectly timed in an era when once-fringe activities like mountain biking, kayaking and rock-climbing were quickly garnering mainstream attention.

As you’d expect from Nike, no expense was spared on the advertising—and whilst you can only imagine the real deal outdoor brands of the day were a bit put out by a huge corporate entity like Nike brashly stepping into the ring—you’ve got to admit some of their ads were pretty good, merging sharp copy with bold photography and that layered grunge design style that came to define the era. 

Here’s a few classics. And before any pedants chime in—yep, we know some of these ads actually predate ACG, but they were too good to ignore.

For anyone interested in the ACG story, we recommend reading this in-depth article by the late, great Gary Warnett. In fact, the whole GWARIZM blog is pretty much required reading for anyone interested in the cross-section of clothes and culture. RIP.