Nike’s Marketing Strategies and Why They Work

If there is one company people can gain marketing knowledge from, it’s Nike. This popular athletic brand is a leader in the sports product market. From high-profile celebrity endorsements to unique ad campaigns, the company’s success is largely due to its superb marketing tactics. If you are looking for ways to help build your brand, start by uncovering Nike’s marketing strategies and why they work—just do it.

Emotional Branding

Instead of making its products the star of its advertisements, Nike utilizes “emotional branding” by telling meaningful short stories. One of the most popular examples of their emotional ads is the Find Your Greatness commercials, which aired in 2012. This series of one-minute segments featured “everyday athletes” overcoming a variety of obstacles. By inspiring their audience that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to, Nike gives viewers the sense that they can achieve greatness if they buy their products and “just do it.”

Strong Social Media Presence

Nike utilizes multiple social media accounts to connect and engage with customers. Instead of using their online platform to push advertisements on their followers, they take time to form conversations with them. To encourage engagement, Nike keeps posts short and fun while often including calls-to-action. By forming stronger relationships with customers online, they are more likely to stay loyal to Nike’s brand and continue to purchase their products.

Celebrity Endorsements

Nike is known for its endorsement deals with world-class athletes such as LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, and Christiano Ronaldo. By hiring these household names to endorse their products, Nike gains immediate credibility. As such, customers will be more likely to purchase products because if they are good enough for their favorite professional athletes, they’re good enough for them.

Socially Conscious

Today, people are more likely to support a company that has a positive impact on the world—a concept Nike has picked up on. The popular athletic brand expresses its concern for the environment and local communities by engaging in a variety of outreach projects. These global initiatives range from advancing renewable energy commitments to developing after-school fitness programs. They are also known for donating products to nonprofit organizations all around the world to benefit local communities.

Creating a hugely popular brand doesn’t happen overnight but learning about Nike’s marketing strategies and why they work is a step in the right direction.