Case Study: Entertainment Brand Audit: NIKE

Take Charge.  Write your own story! --- Nike

This audit was conducted May 2015 from Internet Research

McDonalds knows burgers; but sells service.

Nike knows shoes; but sells feelings, achievement, aspirations, and victory.

Since 1972, that has been the story of Nike.  If you watch their promotional videos you will see they emphasize the emotional aspects of wearing Nike shoes, being able to do things better than they could without the shoe.  The collage below was taken from images in Yahoo and represents the beginning of Nike and a little of its history:

Take from Yahoo Search Images

What did you notice about the brand logo?

The major logo I am focusing on is Nike.  The logo, also known as Swoosh, is used primarily for sports related items such as athletic shoes, athletic clothes, equipment, etc.  If you visit the Nike site, the logo will be found all over the page.  It is in the URL, the menu bar, and all over the page.

The strengths of the logo are that it is very well known throughout the world.  When people see it they think about quality, they think about winners, they think about fitness.  One of their weaknesses ---- and this really isn’t a weakness for them but it would be for other logos --- is that it changes colors.  The colors I have seen are red, black, white, and even multi-colors.  Other companies change the color of their logo for special holidays, but Nike seem to just change it because they can.

In comparison to its major competitors, it doesn’t have to have any words for people to know what it is.  Sometimes you will see the Nike logo and the word Nike with it.  However, even little children know the Nike logo by shape.  With Adidas and Under Armour, the logo is not so easily associated with the company.  

Three of Nike's major competitors are Puma, Adidas, and Under Armour.  Respectively, their logs are as follows:

Logos taken from Google Image Search
                   

As you can see, these logos are accompanied by the name of the company and that is the case most of the time.  I noticed in my research that the logo for Adidas changes sometimes. This may confuse buyers. Truthfully, there is not any similarity in the actual design.  All of the logos may change their color from time to time.   Red and black are very popular colors and they all have been known to use the color pink for special times such as cancer awareness week.  Compared to the competition, Nike’s brand logo is more effective simply because it is backed by famous athletes and major sports teams.

What is the brand message or brand story for the brand?

Nike is worn by champions!  That’s the story and I’m sticking to it!  Nike was named after the Greek Goddess of Victory.  Just think about it.  When you become very successful in your sport, you can have a shoe, shirt, etc. named after you with the Nike logo on it.  Everyone wants to be identified with you.  Men will even wear a shirt with a big ole picture of a man on it!  The unhealthiest person wants a pair of Nike shoes.  Why, because of what it represents.

The Nike brand story can be summed up in this video:  Find Your Greatness! 

We all want to be great in our area.  Nike represents our quest for greatness --- through all adversity.  We have to keep going like the guy in the video.  When we look at him we think about his weight and maybe how he doesn’t take care of himself.  Yet, we admire him because we know if he continues he will be successful.  Every athlete can relate to his struggle in one way or the other.  

Nike is for everyone!  It doesn’t discriminate on gender, color, age, sex or physical ability.  Honestly, to me that’s the whole beauty of Nike.  I know how I feel in a pair of Nike shorts and shoes.  Some designers do not make items for heavy set people.  This particular video emphasis their slogan “Just Do It: Out Move Yesterday”.

How does the company offer an interactive experience for their customers/clients-either at the actual location and online?

Online  the company uses a lot of videos.  Checkout the video below "Out Move Yesterday!"

No matter what you are doing in life, the goal is always to do better than you did the day before. We all want to grow.  We all want to see progress.  We see this in little kids that are trying to learn to ride a bicycle.  They fall a couple of times but they get up and keep trying until they get it.  The basketball player and the soccer player are always working on their game.  The little old woman that wears Nikes to walk the block wants to be in better health.  Nike promotes progressions.  Nike promotes innovation.  Nike promotes being better than you were the day before.  They personalize the brand experience by producing commercials that promote more than athletics.  They promote people looking good and having fun in their Nike gear.  

Identify the target market.  Are you breathing?  That’s the only question that needs to be asked.  Nike has something for everyone.  Babies wear Nike.  Young and old wear Nike.  Athletes and overweight people wear Nikes.  You don’t have to be rich to buy a pair of Nikes.  If you are feeling bad, it’s a Nike day.  If you feel like you have your game on, it’s a Nike day.  Take a look at some of the people wearing Nike:

(All images taken from Google Search and put in this collage)

As you can see, the Nike brand appeals to more than athletes.  It appeals to people of all ages.  Even the President of The United States sports Nike in his past time.  In order for Nike to survive, it has to be constantly evaluating its market and giving the people what they want.

How does the company create a unique brand experience for its customers?  What did you notice about the staff, employees or the marketing/sales people?

One thing I always notice about Nike staff and sales people is that they wear Nike clothes.  They have brand loyalty.  They believe in the product that they are selling.  They are knowledgeable of the products and what customers want.  

I am basically reviewing Nike from online.  Since it is an international company, it has to appeal to clients all over the world.  Just like any other company, Nike is conscious of the 4 P's of marketing:  Product, Price, Place, and Promotion in their marketing efforts.

Nikes Marketing Strategies

I pulled the figure above from Nike’s marketing site.  If you will notice that in its strategic planning, they include “What do we want them to THINK” and “What do we want them to FEEL” and  “How do we want them to ACT.”  Think, Feel, and Act are very deep emotions that we normally don’t associate with clothes.  How do we want them to think, feel, or act when they wear or use our items?   How many people or companies that you know that try to control the emotions of their clients…..all the time! Hallmark does it with cards and flowers.  But just think, they use specific words for specific occasions.  Nike is designing things that will be seen all over the world at any given time by people of all ages and cultures.  This says a lot about the people that work for Nike.

They must be creative and connected with what’s going on in the world.  They must have skills more than just designing, graphics, and how materials are used.  They need to know about technology and how impact affects the runner, the soccer player, the joker, the football player.  They must know about psychology and sociology…what people think of themselves and what they think of others and how others perceive them.

Even though Nike is one of the top producers in athletic apparel, when it comes to marketing they have the same concerns as every other company.  They must be aware of their price.  They provide products in all price ranges and types of materials.  Competition is a major threat for them.  Just think about Under Armour and how much of the market they have and they have only been in the market for a short while in comparison.  No one gets a free ride when it comes to satisfying the customer.

How does the company create and develop its community?  

This question really can be answered in three (3) words:  Through Our Children!

Take from Google Search

Nike invests a lot of money into its community.  They also support sports in other countries by providing athletic apparel.  

Nike has a presence on all social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, and of course, YouTube.  They promote on television, newspapers, billboards and the list goes on.  They are where the customers are located.

According to Nike’s community page, they focus on community involvement in the following areas:

• Sports and Physical Activity – Nike gives supports to communities to encourage kids to be active at an early age.  If kids grow up early being involved in sports and having fun, they may maintain this behavior throughout into adulthood.  In the U.S., they have a program called Let’s Move! Active Schools.
• The Nike Foundation – Nike focuses on human potential.  Since in most cultures, even in the USA, the female gender often is given a back seat to the male.  Look at the biggest paid athletes and you will see all men.  Nike gives a lot of money to help stop the abuse and exploitation of women and girls in other countries.   Their goal is to help stop poverty and to empower women.
• Local Impact – Nike has two major funds designed to give back to the community.  The Nike School Innovation Fund which supports efforts such as college readiness and leadership development in high school.  The Nike Employee Grant Fund supports nonprofit organizations near Portland Oregon that promote physical education and activity.
• Communities in Need – supports things like tornado relief efforts to rebuild communities after tornadoes.  They rebuild playgrounds and areas that children play on and places that keep kids active.  All of this is done through nonprofit organizations.
• Grants and Resources – Grant type funding is done primarily through nonprofit organizations.  They will not give to individual schools or individuals.

What promotions and/or partnerships did you observe?  Provide specific examples of Co-Branding and/or Cause Branding with other companies/charities.

Nike has created a co-branding venture with Apple in which they put music and exercise together.  Nike created sports shoes that talk to an iPod to help the wearer keep up with his/her exercise routine and performance.

Apple iPod 

Air Jordan

As stated earlier, Nike does a lot of cause branding with nonprofit organizations primarily for the purpose of women issues and getting children to be active and love sports.  They also help organizations provide disaster relief for people in Japan and Haiti.  

Nike does the majority of its funding quietly.  The money is donated directly to the nonprofit.    The best way to find this information is to review their annual report.  

This video called The girl effect  was sponsored in part by Nike.  However, if you watch the whole video, you will not see Nike mentioned not one time.  They are interested in change not credibility!  

Nike also co-branded in 1984 with Michael Jordan to create the Air Jordans.   Since then they have recreated over 23 pair of Air Jordans and an unlimited number of shoes promoting other athletics.

 

Does this company use its website, social media, and mobile marketing to build its brand and tell its story?  What specific suggestions would you make to improve their online presence?  

Yes, Nike uses social media to connect with its clients and customers all over the world.  It has links to Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, YouTube, Google+ and other social sites. Nike has a massive online website that offers virtually everything Nike makes in one place.  

The one major thing I would change on Nike's website is to bring the footer to the top of the page.  Since the page is so massive, one has to scroll for days to see important information like Contact and Job Opportunities on all pages.   I would also include a link for new items because many people that are Nike followers want the newest clothes.  It's the what's what in fashion for the athletic minded individual

The next time you see a Nike advertisement, see how little the shoe or item is mentioned!