"Just Do It" (Advertising & Public Relations)

Motivational, intense, high energy and creative are basically a few words to sum up Nike's advertisements as well commercials. Known for their close and personal commericals with superstar athletes, you can say most people know a Nike advertisement when they see one. I believe its only right, on just advertisements alone Nike spends 2.5 billion annually. And spends another 33 million annually on just keeping Tiger Woods and LeBron James as a face of their company. The list can go on with Nike advertising expenses, but in the end its all worth it.

The slogan "Just Do It" simply just works, If you take a poll of most

known corporate slogans I would not be surprised if Nike's is most known. Developed in the late 80's, this phrase has catapulted Nike past competitors. Giving consumers as well athletes the attitude to just go out and get the task done. Incorporating this into all of their products the slogan just caught on and blew up probably beyond proportions even expected, but all due to a great marketing team.

Nike commercials and ads are almost beyond the product, they literally give inspiration to go hard and do your best in what ever it is. Their strongest advertising strategy is probably the commericals. Whether it is for a sporting event, athlete, or a product its hard to look away from the TV when a Nike ad is on. Every time one comes on you feel the emotions I stated at first, and immediately want to go out and participate in activity's. Which is why Nike is such a great marketing company, they go past just selling their products. Nike sells the brand as almost a life style instead of a sporting apparel company.

Advertisment Links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijTwZNUBhcI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdtejCR413c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdtejCR413c

Nike The Goddess Inc. (Retailing)

As we know Nike inc is a huge international company. The Nike headquarters is located in Organ but you can find the Nike brand in 160 countries. Nike also employs 30,ooo people world wide. With out even knowing the company name you could recognize the traditional "swoosh" sign. Its popularity has lead it to become the highest selling supplier of athletic shoes and apparel. Nike also has other subsidiary companies such as Cole Haan, Hurly, and Converse Inc.

Nike can almost sell its self everyone wants or has a pair of their sneakers. But if their

products never caught your attention before they had to when Nike town in New York City opened

up. The massive five floor store located just off 5th avenue is a "sneaker heads" drea

m. With its huge front doors and lobby it feels like you have entered sneaker heaven. Each floor with specific products and the top floor with an exclusive sneakers collection it will make any person want to spend. Every section has inspirational quotes with superstar athletes images blown up behind them, making costumers fe

el like they are shopping in the "best of the best." The fresh cotton and sneakers fragrance makes it just that more delightful when admiring all of the innovative merchandise in sport technology they have on display. But one of the main jaw droppers the store features, is their sneaker delivery process. To coincide with the company's athletic technology the store is pretty advanced its self. The sneaker inventory is logged into a computer system. Then when a customer needs a certain shoe the employee can type it into the system and it will be delivered from the stock room through clear tube passages up to the floor it was requested from. Just another way how Nike sets them selves apart from competitor companies. There are special events also held at Nike Town when new lines are being introduced or a certain sneaker is being realised. Nike Town's uniqueness has been heard about all over the world which has made it a very touristy store as well. Nike town almost feels like the Mecca of athletic wear just how Nike sort of is, almost all of Nike's values are shown in this store. Basically making anyone who has a body feel like an athlete. Which is the reason why I feel the company has great success because they are always able to relate to the consumers and provide something people always want.

Consumer Decision Making

Phil Knight and the Nike team do a very good job in influencing consumers to purchase their products over rival companies. They have done well with keeping customers satisfied with their products, and their always one of the companies recommended when it comes to purchasing athletic wear.

In America alone Nike owns about 37% of the US athletic shoes market, and 60% of the total consumer market purchase Nike products. Compared to Reebok its biggest competitor which only owns 20% of the US athletic shoe market. Nike products almost sell on their own, with websites that are only made for the purpose of letting customers know when the latest Nike sneakers are being dropped. Thousands of teens a day log on to the Internet to search which Nike sneakers they would like to buy next or just add to the collection. Nike has done a great job in turning the purchase of sneakers into almost a hobby. People now look at Nike sneakers especially the older editions as "classics". Stores and sellers raise prices on merchandise according to the date it was made almost how art pieces are sold.

With all the big time athletes wearing their sneakers, and innovative products Nike almost checks off any need in a consumer decision process. They have the history of reliable products at the right price, and have been a factor since they first entered the market. Nike has been successful with setting trends or keeping current with the needs of their market which is the reason for their consistent progress.

LINKS:

http://library.thinkquest.org/3088/company/nke.html

http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Nike-s-Popularity-Over-The-Footware-Business/400185

Global Vision

All around the world people recognize the Nike swoosh and Air Jordan symbols. Nike is just as relevant in other major countries as it is in the United States. That is because of multiple reasons though, one is the mass appeal of their products and second because of all the industrial factories across the globe. Either your wearing one of their products or just an employee, but it's hard to escape the grip of the Nike cooperate power house.

Across the globe Nike products sell every day. By creating products for every sport it's easier to market their merchandise around the world. No matter what the culture is or type of sport that is played in the region, Nike makes sure that their is something appealing to the consumers of that area. Often by sponsoring teams and creating products that represent a time in sport history for a country is what separates the Nike brand from competitors. They relate and give inspiration to community's which makes people feel like that's what they should be wearing when playing in activities.

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Here are two examples how Nike uses advertisement and products to relate to many types of consumers. When things like the World Cup take place Nike glorifies the event to get society more involved and also promote their latest products in sports technology. Also with a series of themed sneakers Nike makes any type of person around the world want to own at least one pair of theirs. All of this makes Nike a very popular international company, that has tons of leverage over competition.

Although Nike's name is great to the consumers, their reputation for their factories over seas is not as good. Many issues have been brought up over the years about the conditions workers are forced to deal with while being employees of the company. There are arguments of workers being mistreated and forced to work hours that are not reasonable for the amount of pay they receive. Even though in 2005 Nike released the locations for their factories over seas, so they can be examined by independent observers to asses their labor conditions. Critics do acknowledge the nobleness of the company but can not forget the exploitation of workers. They do how ever also feel more big company's should follow in the foot steps of Nike. In hopes of rehabilitating there image Nike Has joined "The Fair Labor Association" and trying to spread the importance of healthy working environments.

The Marketing Environment.

Nike always makes sure that anything they produce is appealing to any "athlete." using science instead of looks Nike has almost made it impossible for any other company to keep up with there progress. Nike likes to target anyone who gains some inspiration from participating in sporting activities. Using the most current superstars and high energy commercials the Nike brand has almost every teen and adult locked in on their products. Also Nike has taken their business and spread it to more of a variety by adding electronics to better help athletes. Partnering with Apple to create software that is able to asses your performance, it's almost a no brain er that Nike is the best choice of equipment for athletic purposes.

Phil knight also has found another way to make his old sneakers a gold mine once again. Targeting the younger generation that want the "old school/retro" style sneakers. the Nike team have released older Jordan classics and other Nike classics since the demand has always been so high but the supply so little. The exclusivity of these sneakers have always been very important but the possible profits were way more important obviously. The day sneakers like the"Jordan's" or Nike "FoamPosites" drop there are lines of people in front of sneaker stores from ages 14-25. Some hoping to add to the collection and others just trying to grab childhood favorites again. Nike different from any other company has almost mad a connection with its consumers, basically growing with them. People are able to see the growth in the sneakers and company, which has almost made Nike a social norm.

Ethics & Social Responsibility

With all of the money and addicted customers, Phil Knight still makes it his obligation to always give back. Also making sure that the Nike company always keeps a good name and class.

The Nike team makes sure they are apart of local community's, as well world wide. They hold fund raisers for charities, also build parks and recreational areas for kids. Often when doing a project or charity they will use a athlete they endorse to give Nike a more unified image and hopefully have the community relate to their efforts more.

http://www.nikebiz.com/responsibility/community_programs/features/nola_donation.html

In time of tragedy Phil Knight and the Nike team always want the people to feel like they are there for them. When natural disasters like hurricane Katrina occur Nike contributes in donations for relief, as well by trying to give back some type of hope or joy to the community. Nike usually likes to tend to the younger generation so they can still have some time or "norm" in their childhood or adolescence. Sports is a great way to build relationships and trust, Nike often build gyms or play grounds so kids can still play organized activities and feel a sense of a community still. Nike always want kids to always feel that their dreams can come true, so they will often have a athlete or two to host or sponsor the project. In just New Orleans relief Nike has donated over $7 million total.

Phil Knight always makes sure that the faces of Nike are always someone the people can look up and relate too. He makes sure that Nike's image is never hurt by actions of any member of the Nike team. He likes to keep his motto of making the world a better place through sports intact. But no matter how much something can cost Nike inc. financially, if a star athlete or employee does something that can affect that image they are kicked out of the Nike team until things can get resolved. Meaning contracts and be ended and walking papers can be given. Nike has had a long line of let go star athletes because of a public issue that occurred in their time of being apart of Nike. No one person is bigger than the company or more important, if you hurt the Nike image you will be released because they do not want the public to feel that the company condones a certain type of behavior or attitude.

Strategic Planning

Phil Knight always had a vision for Nike that would make them different from any sneaker company before or after. He wanted to separate Nike from competitors by creating cheap but affective foot ware that would help a athlete preform to a higher level of play. Treating athletic wear like science, the Nike team of designers come up with ideas and "technology" that would better athletes performance on the feild or what would benefit the customer.

As you can see, this is just one of the ideas the Nike team has come up with as of recently. This sneaker is designed for LeBron James. (NBA superstar. MIA Heat) What Nike does well is testing and observing the way people play or run, and from there they start to design shoes that would benefit the person most. They base their future products on the needs of the athletes instead of just focusing on designes. Thoroughly thinking about the future and athletes performance Nike always has been able to stay ahead by keeping the most current sport technology in there shoes and even in their sport apparel.

Nike also has some of the best advertisement and commercials. They do a very good job of relating to the consumers and giving some sort of inspiration to put on their merchandise and go particiapte in competitive activities. The "Swoosh" lable or Nike check is known on probably every continent in the planet. With catchy slogans like "Just Do It" and keeping the best athletes of the time to promote their shoes, Nike has surpassed any other athletic brand past or present. With their net worth in the billions and constantly advancing their products, its hard to see a end to this athletic empire.