Photo by Kristian Johansson.
Fascinating article from Fortune on Nike’s new marketing mojo.
Key takeaways? Let’s put it like this. In a discussion on meaningful brands, Michel A. Jansen once said that “the right to exist” is only granted when a company continuously adds value for its customers.
Over 200 million people have given Nike that right to exist. The sports brand understands the cardinal rule to survival in this cluttered, digital era: make connections. This translates into doing things that reach people, that touch people, that convince people, and most of all, add value.
Nike has shunned the usual top-down approach to campaign releases (via traditional mediums such as TV or print) and now favors the reverse approach, where it leverages all digital touch points and creates products that form intimate connections with its target audience. Its media mix is more heavily reliant on digital and ‘non-traditional’ tactics than any other brand in the top 100 advertisers.
And the strategy is paying off. Nike now has an engaged Superbowl-sized audience 365 days a year. Which in turn translates to over $21 billion in sales — a 30% lead on its closest rival.
For more insight into Nike’s innovative brand model, check out the full article here.
February 17, 2012