Nike

This week I'm taking a look at what makes Nike such an iconic brand. Nike is one of the biggest brands in both women and men's athletic clothing. They make shoes, sports gear, professional gear, everyday wear, accessories, glasses, exercise equipment, and the list goes on and on. But why do people buy into this brand so much? And what could their marketing team be doing so well that they continue to grow indefinitely?

 A huge part of it is their use of name association, (in other words, they like to name drop. ALL THE TIME.) They decide what and who is "in" by sponsoring certain teams and individual athletes. Nike is seen to be the top dog in the sports industry, so much so that people associate the brand with how good or successful the athlete wearing it is. 

Not long after the brand's conception, Nike started seeking athlete endorsements. They hesitantly signed NBA rookie, Michael Jordan unbeknownst to them that they set themselves up for market domination. At this point in time, Nike was only making sports shoes, and they promised Michael Jordan his own line, which became one of their biggest revenue drivers. 

Another great move Nike made in the beginning was with their slogan. In 1988, Wieden + Kennedy came up with “Just Do It” which is still used today, more than two decades later.In the ‘90s, Nike showed up in the sports apparel market by designing the uniforms for the World Cup winning Brazilian National soccer team.  In the late ‘90s, Nike rolled out their famous, “If you let me play” campaign which targeted women athletes. 

Nike’s commercials were a mix of everyday looking people, and professional athletes, which is a clever marketing tactic that they still use today. In ’96, Nike signed a contract to sponsor Tiger Woods, an unknown young golfer, much like Michael Jordan in the sense that as his popularity grew, so did the brands. Nike's use of athlete endorsements has really sprung them into success, from the beginning to now, everyone knows who wears Nike.