Nike Marketing Stragety

Abstract:

Different forms of strategy are used in different corporations. Nike has achieved greatness due to their forms of strategy. Nike is known as the top seller of sports shoes and apparel. In such a competitive field, this is close to excellence. To do well in this field requires many inventive and resourceful advertisements and marketing skills. Nike has accomplished this through their great commercials, and other forms of marketing.

In this paper, I will define strategy and show Nike's forms of strategy and how their techniques have brought themselves to the top.

Table of Contents:

Introduction...........................................................................1

Define Strategy........................................................................4

Advertising for Females.............................................................5

Star Search.............................................................................6

Customer Relationships..............................................................7

Market..................................................................................8

Shoe Industry..........................................................................9

Stores...................................................................................9

Marketing..............................................................................9

Just do it." This is the slogan that has won the attention of millions of customers. It is one of the most potent and resilient advertising campaigns of all times, the number two leading ad slogan of the 20th century, according to Advertising Age magazine. When the Just Do It campaign was launched, Nike received thousands of letters who claimed the campaign gave them the inspiration to do all kinds of things. Some were inspired to get fit, go back to school, or even to find Jesus.

Another aspect of Nike is the swoosh. This is a commercial symbol that has become the most recognizable symbol in that economy. Nike's swoosh has come to stand for athletic excellence, a spirit of determination, hip authenticity, and playful self-awareness. The language and attitude of Nike has become a part of everyday life. Nike has constructed itself an icon that demonstrates both a philosophy and a personality. The Nike Corporation is widely known across many continents. Nike is sure to stand strong because it has designed such a well-known icon, a company to enhance such wonderful products, and their well thought out advertising strategies.

Nike and its advertising agency, Wieden & Kennedy, currently stand out as leaders in what may be described as cultural economy of images (Goldman, 1998). The Nike swoosh sign has rapidly become more well known as had been used as one of their greatest strategies to win over customers. The swoosh is so well known, consumers notice it and enjoy representing the product. Their symbol is competitive with Coca-Cola, even though the brand value is currently matchless. The Nike swoosh seems to be everywhere, all countries, all forms of apparel. Nike's advertisements seem to gain the trust of consumers. All of their products have garnered admiration due to their honesty and performance. Nike ads have come in two different flavors. One flavor is of an irreverent, winking attitude toward everything that smacks of commodity culture. Nike adopts a self-reflexive posture about the formulas of consumer goods advertising as well as a self-aware attitude about its own position as a wealthy and powerful corporation in an industry based on influencing desires and tastes. These ads speak to savvy and jaded viewers. In the second flavor, however, Nike constructs itself as the vehicle of an ethos that integrates themes of personal transcendence, achievement, and authenticity. By mixing the two flavors, Nike has created an advertising discourse that is able to present itself as a legitimate public discourse (Goldman, 1998).

"Strategy is the pattern or plan that integrates an organization's major goals, policies, and action sequences into a cohesive whole. A strategy that is well-formulated, marshals, and allocates resources of the organization into a unique and viable posture based on its competencies and shortcomings, changes in the environment, and contingent moves by intelligent opponents" (Frisby, 2001). Strategy is one of the few words that can be defined as one thing but used as another. Intended strategy and realized strategy are two types that businesses often use. The difference between these is that the intended strategy is where the plans are developed for the future, which often comes from patterns of past behavior. The realized strategy happened as the company adjusts to many changes along the way, such as market, competitor, and economic changes.

One of Nike's greatest strategies has been to reassess and refine their advertising strategies aimed at female consumers. Nike is one of the first corporations to realize they need to target a greater audience. As opposed to the days when soap operas were the only channel of communication to women, women are now computer literate, employed as professionals, and very mobile. The work force has increasingly employed more women. The number of women in businesses has nearly doubled since the 1960s. Recognizing the vast difference, many companies refine their products to tap the forte of women. Some players in sports equipment are reaching out to women for the first time.

Nike is running hard in the women's arena. Young girls are so much more active today than they were just a few years ago. Nike notices this and does a great job of targeting this audience. Sheryl Swoopes, not Michael Jordan or Grant Hill or Shaquille O'Neal, has brought several hundreds of young girls out on the basketball court to learn hoops tips under the basket. This larger-than-life star gained the respect and admiration of many thousands of fans. She has one message: Everything isn't nice for girls on the basketball court, and unless you want to get run over by another girl driving