Drew Hammell, SoleSavy member and renowned curator of Nike history, started the @NikeStories Instagram account to share Eastbay magazines, old-school Nike advertisements, anecdotes, and more that captured the essence of the Swoosh in its early days.
After accumulating nearly 160k followers, the account was taken down as the account allegedly violated Instagram and Meta’s impersonation guidelines as the account included Nike in the handle and the brand’s logo.
According to company policy, it reads that fan accounts are permitted:
You can create Instagram accounts dedicated to celebrities, public figures, brands, or organizations that you’re interested in to show your support or share your opinions of those individuals, brands, or organizations. However, creating an account to impersonate someone is against the Community Guidelines and could result in the removal of your account.
Though Hammell asked if he could change the name, he was informed that the account would not be reactivated. This appears to be Instagram policy-driven and not part of Nike’s recent lawsuits to protect its brand image. In fact, Hammell has developed a relationship with Nike employees and positively covered a number of releases and events as a media member.
Be sure to follow Drew Hammell on Instagram for the “next chapter of Nike Stories.”