Sportswear or examwear? Nike store targets exam takers in NE China

CHANGCHUN - A Nike store in Northeast China is selling sportswear to wide-eyed exam takers who think the trademark "swoosh" looks like a check mark and will consequently bring them good luck in their tests.

A Nike store in Changchun, capital of Jilin province, has posters touting its clothes as must-haves for exam days. "Get Nike and get a tick in your exams," one says.

A sales assistant at the store said sales tend to rise ahead of senior high school and college entrance exams in June because some parents and students consider the Nike trademark lucky, if worn on exam days.

However, it appears that there is no official campaign on Nike's China website related to the upcoming examinations. Nike's China division can't be reached for comments as of Thursday.

It's not just the trademark. Colors are also carefully considered by students and parents.

Red means the exam takers are aiming for the very top. Green speaks to the wish for "green light" and blue is associated with the aspiration of outperforming others, inspired by the Chinese idiom: "making indigo out of blue."

Clothes from other brands with "auspicious" patterns are also popular choices.

"Wearing Nike is not going to make any difference to students' performance in exams," said Kang Cheng, a psychological counsellor at a Changchun high school.

However, Kang said it shows the need for a confidence boost when students are grappling with pressure from tests that can determine their future.