Colossal Brands -II **** Nike ****

NIKE: The Giant Leap...

Well the logo of nike says it all....the swoosh logo is one of the most widely recognised logos in the world. A brand which has made the shoe market spring to life...a gaint of a brand. Former University of Oregon track coach and co-founder of Nike Bill Bowerman once said: “If you have a body, you are an athlete!” This way of thinking is how Nike conducts every aspect of their business. Every person is a potential athlete or “consumer”. This is a common term when used in the realm of athletics but when Bill Bowerman said this it was in direct reference to the shoe industry. From their marketing strategies to their selling philosophies, Nike has developed one of the most recognizable and demanded name and logo tandems ever. Nike, which is the Greek Goddess of Victory, was born in 1972 when BRS, Blue Ribbon Sports, launched its first branded shoe at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials.

Nike's tagline of "Just do it" is widely acclaimed one. Nike has heavily relied on celebrity endorsement for its brand builing over the years. Lance Armstrong, Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, Kobe Braynt, Marion Jones, Tiger Woods ..the list would go on. Nike is a perfect example of how Celebrity endorsement can help in brand building is there is a match between your product and the celebrity. But undoubtely the man behind the nike promotins being such a huge hit is none other than Michael Jordon...infact theres is a classic case of brand personality and celebrity match. The National Basketball Association (NBA) was going through a dull phase and losing its audiences to the NFL....Jordan alongwith the legendary Magic Jhonson are credited for bringing back the interest of Americans back to basketball...a charisma which has rubbed on the brand recall of NIKE...Nike inspite of having tough competition in its segment has always stayed a cut above the rest.

In his book "Its Not ABout the Bike: My Journey back to Life", Lance Armstrong the Tour De France legend tells that one reason he's associated with Nike is because Nike respects Sports talent....great testimony for a great brand...
So then with the acquisition of Reebok by rival Adidas...is Nike gonna face the heat?? Wat should NIKE do to gear up for the same?? Do pour in your views ....

Regards,

Praveen/Anup