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=Nike Brand Strategies=

Introduction
Nike, a popular shoe brand, is known for its effectiveness in attracting new customers while keeping old customers interested in continuing to buy and sell their products. In today’s day and age, many brands utilize different strategies to attract and find new customers in a new and effective way, this brand has unlocked the keys to attracting customers of all ages and genders. Nike’s annual sales rack up to more than $21 billion since 2016. Nike is the largest supplier of athletic shoes and caters to all people looking for athletic or everyday use. It offers sneakers, apparel, and accessories of different types, allowing for a vast selection of choices for customers to choose from. Nike’s is a leading innovator in the shoe industry, and understanding their brand strategies is important to learn from this profitable industry.

History
Nike has been known as an innovative brand since the beginning. Nike invests in an Innovation Lab, where they are constantly working to make new and innovative products, and they create all types of products through brand sponsorship and marketing. Nike’s slogan ‘Just do it’ has been the company’s slogan for around three decades. The company actually began as Blue Ribbon Sports after being started by University of Oregon coach Bill Bowerman. It was initially started as a store for running shoes, but later developed into selling different sport products used for athletic or everyday wear today.

Brand Strategies
Nike is known for stepping forward in the realm of brand strategy and decision-making when it comes to their products. From embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion in different atmospheres to engaging the community on a deeper level, Nike has shown leadership in the way it runs its company. Nike also makes sure it supports social justice movements for example, in 2018, when Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem to show how he felt about police brutality and racial injustice, Nike came up with a campaign tagline. This line was, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” It also contained a close up of the player. Nike’s founder, Bill Bowerman, was known from the beginning for customizing shoes according to customer needs and ensuring those needs were fulfilled. Bowerman also mentioned that the company thrived in keeping manufacturing costs down compared to its competitors. Some of Nike’s competitors include several other well-known brands, including Reebok and Converse. They utilized companies in Asia to help with producing shoes rather than their competitors who used companies in Europe for manufacturing their products. Initially, the strategy was to promote running and the health benefits it can have on an individual. Many of the employees within the company were runners allowing them to understand customers on a deeper level. Nike made it clear in their marketing strategies that their focus was to be a running shoe company, with a deeper focus on track and field athletes and runners. Within Nike’s ads, for example with the first pair of Air Jordans, Nike actually used a Beatles song, which became a hit, and people would associate the shoe with the song. Nike has also used celebrities and various partnerships through social media to attract all kinds of customers to their brand. Another famous example is Michael B Jordan, the famous basketball player. Nike created the first basketball shoe that actually became banned from the NBA due to the bright colors it displayed, regardless, since Michael B Jordan wore this shoe people wanted to buy this shoe as well. People are more likely to buy a product they see famous celebrities wearing, and Nike has worked to partner with different celebrities across industries. Furthermore, Nike’s “swoosh” mustache logo is considered trendy and athletic, and it has helped the company by more than 71 billion dollars. Nike also makes sure to integrate technology into different aspects of its system. This strengthens customer engagement and loyalty as customers are more likely to buy from a brand that embraces technology and technological advancements. For example, Nike recently started an AI-powered app, which scans your feet to figure out the best sizing for a shoe a customer may be interested in purchasing. This allows customers who may be unsure of their size to find the best sizing for a shoe they want to buy. Nike is also constantly working to improve, even for those with disabilities or impairments who might not be able to wear shoes the same way others do. For example, Nike’s Easy On shoes allow customers to be able to easily slide their feet into shoes they like without having to bend down, or worry about the laces of the shoe. This helps those of different ages quickly wear shoes without an extra hassle. Nike even has a Flexknit technology, which allows for accessible, breathable material for athletes or those looking for this type of clothing. They are constantly evolving to test, and make this material better for athletes or those looking to buy athletic wear. Nike has also created apparel and jerseys for the NBA Basketball Association since the 2017-2018 year, taking over from its competitor Adidas. Overall, Nike’s effectiveness in meeting people where they are and being innovative in solving different user needs and problems is what allows them to have an effective brand strategy. They are able to understand what different customers need, and meet the needs of these customers in tangible ways by creating products that cater to customers in new and innovative ways.

Future
Nike Inc., in the near future, has the potential to continue to grow and become even more profitable globally. This company will have an opportunity to continue understanding customers and their needs. The company has come far from being a company that focused solely on athletic shoes to other athletic wear as well. This company has mastered the idea of understanding its customers' needs and meeting their needs in the products they create. Nike’s philosophy of focusing on customers’ personal achievements while overcoming challenges resonates with many people. This focus on keeping the customer first, and meeting their needs is what is making this company one of the most successful in terms of profit and sales. Nike’s brand strategy is strong, and will continue to change the way customers buy Nike products.

Conclusion
Nike is an innovative company, able to attract many people due to its innovative solutions and how they meet customer’s needs. It’s important to understand how they are able to keep and attract new customers, and they do so by creating innovative solutions to meet the needs of their customers. Nike ensures to meet the social issues of a company, and commits to, “being a brand that cares about more than just profits”. This initiative to go above and beyond what most companies do, makes them personable and more friendly down to a human level.