Nike Case
Founded in 1994, Nike Football has grown immensely to become one of the two market leaders in football apparel and footwear. Recognizing the vast opportunities the 2010 World Cup offers for their growth and differentiation from the competitors, they are considering a shift in their marketing strategy.
Nike’s brand image is of an innovative company, focusing on the high performance of their products, while simultaneously offering extraordinary designs by partnering with many top-level footballers. Therefore, the introduction of one of the lightest and most advanced football boots, the Mercurial Vapor Superfly II Elite, is not surprising. Their pioneer image was further formed through the novel support of HIV-positive role models and women in sports. The division has also continuously enhanced its digital efforts to better connect with their customers by introducing the first interactive website, own YouTube channel, and online platforms such as the Secret Tournament and Joga Bonito. The company was forced to use this approach instead of the traditional one, because of its main competitor, Adidas, who was the official sponsor for all major Football Tournaments and thus the only sports company to air commercials during the games. Furthermore, Adidas offers footwear customized to style preference and playing conditions, while also engaging in acquisitions. For the 2010 World Cup the rivalry will intensify, with Adidas outperforming on the number of supported teams, but for now their market shares are almost tied, as Nike possesses more expertise in the use of online platforms. Puma and New Balance are among the comparatively smaller competitors, which dominate the rest of the market, in which the customers are young and active people that play Football. They purchase performance, experience, and fun rather than just sporting goods. Purchases can be done at both retailers and online stores. Customers can access information through blogs, websites, social
Nike’s brand image is of an innovative company, focusing on the high performance of their products, while simultaneously offering extraordinary designs by partnering with many top-level footballers. Therefore, the introduction of one of the lightest and most advanced football boots, the Mercurial Vapor Superfly II Elite, is not surprising. Their pioneer image was further formed through the novel support of HIV-positive role models and women in sports. The division has also continuously enhanced its digital efforts to better connect with their customers by introducing the first interactive website, own YouTube channel, and online platforms such as the Secret Tournament and Joga Bonito. The company was forced to use this approach instead of the traditional one, because of its main competitor, Adidas, who was the official sponsor for all major Football Tournaments and thus the only sports company to air commercials during the games. Furthermore, Adidas offers footwear customized to style preference and playing conditions, while also engaging in acquisitions. For the 2010 World Cup the rivalry will intensify, with Adidas outperforming on the number of supported teams, but for now their market shares are almost tied, as Nike possesses more expertise in the use of online platforms. Puma and New Balance are among the comparatively smaller competitors, which dominate the rest of the market, in which the customers are young and active people that play Football. They purchase performance, experience, and fun rather than just sporting goods. Purchases can be done at both retailers and online stores. Customers can access information through blogs, websites, social