Multi-billion dollar sportswear company, Nike, just rolled out an ad campaign for its Major Threat skateboarding tour. Pitchfork points out the striking similarities between the Major Threat tour's artwork and the cover art of Minor Threat's self-titled 1984 compilation. To decide for yourself whether Nike ripped off the legendary punk rock band and their label, check out the artwork in question here.

The copyright to Minor Threat's cover artwork belongs to DC based Dischord Records. When asked whether Nike had obtained permission to use the artwork, a Dischord representative told Pitchfork:

No, they stole it and we're not happy about it. Nike is a giant corporation which is attempting to manipulate the alternative skate culture to create an even wider demand for their already ubiquitous brand. Nike represents just about the antithesis of what Dischord stands for and it makes me sick to my stomach to think they are using this explicit imagery to fool kids into thinking that the general ethos of this label, and Minor Threat in particular, can somehow be linked to Nike's mission. It's disgusting.

Punknews.org sought the opinion of pastepunk.com Editor and lawyer, Jordan Baker in this matter. Baker said the following:

Among the intellectual property rights that are at issue I think it's very clear that Nike has made a derivative work out of Minor Threat's copyright in its cover art. Nike might argue that this is a parody, but I fail to see what kind of social commentary Nike is trying to make in its graphic in relation to the original Minor Threat art, and generally parody is no defense for this kind of commercial appropriation.