Branding Study Essay

Nike Should Move Production to the US and Make America Great Again

Introduction

Nike is a global sport, clothing and shoe supplier and retailer with over 1000 retail outlets in the US and with global brand recognition. Since its founding in the 1960s, the company has dominated the sporting industry with its apparel, shoes, accessories and sporting products—from golf balls to tennis rackets. One reason for its success has been its ability to brand itself as the company that produces the products champions use. Nike is associated with winners like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods and LeBron James. When people think of Nike, they think of winning, and the trademark phrase of the company—“Just Do It”—has inspired millions of customers to put on Nike gear and go out onto the field to give it their all.

Overview of Firm

History

Nike was founded by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman as Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964. The name of the company was changed to Nike it rebranded itself with a more motivational and inspirational tie-in: the Nike swoosh sign and the phrase “Just Do It” which appeared in the subsequent decades as the company came to define itself through advertising (Peters).

Leadership

Phil Knight was always heavily involved in guiding the company and making sure that it used the best brand ambassadors to show Nike in a positive light. Nike paid heavily to sign star athletes to contracts so that the company could promote its shoes and other products by getting the celebrities of the sporting world to wear them. The company’s first line of Air Jordans was like a new dawn for Phil Knight, who had the vision to see the Nike Empire unfolding before his eyes. The Air Jordan campaign caught fire and turned Nike into a powerhouse.

Stock Performance

Under Phil Knight’s guidance, Nike charged ahead in terms of stock price, breaking out from under 50 cents per share in the 1980s to over $80 per share today. While not all of the company’s stock performance can be attributed to the company’s branding strategy (share buybacks and central bank intervention also help to keep stock prices levitated), Nike’s brand has become so recognizable and trusted that it is literally associated with winning.

Ownership Changes

Ownership of the company has not changed hands at all since Phil Knight started the company—other than to go public, which happened in 1980, early on in the company’s history.

Strategic Brand Analysis

Brand Identity

Nike’s vision is to “to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.” Its mission is to create “groundbreaking sport innovations, by making our products more sustainably, by building a creative and diverse global team and by making a positive impact in communities where we live and work” (“About Nike”). Its brand values include enhancing performance, providing authenticity, developing innovation and creating sustainability. The development of an iconic brand campaign aligns with these brand values (Storey).

From the beginning, Nike has sought to associate itself with winners, with champions, with beloved athletes who have star appeal and who have millions of fans because of their success on the field or court. However, in 2018 Nike did something a little different. It signed ex-NFL quarterback…

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…their shoes is questioned by some, who see Nike as a exploitative. Moving to America would help Nike to reshape its image and show that it is making America first, just as the president of the US wants to see happen. Nike’s brand image would skyrocket among conservative voters in an instant and it would likely rise among other demographics who have been put out of work permanently by coronavirus and would see Nike as a place to get a new job. These micro and macro environment factors are issues Nike should seriously consider now that the world is changing and Nike needs to improve its image.

Its customer relationship management process could stand to improve through the use of social media, and by using sites like Instagram and YouTube, the company could ask consumers to upload inspirational pics of them with their Nikes during this time of quarantine. That would be a good way to keep consumers engaged with the brand and to inspire creativity. With sales likely to move more and more online, Nike could also consider allowing consumers to design their own shoes online for purchase the way Vans does. This would also promote consumer engagement.

Conclusion

Nike has been at the top of the sports apparel and retail world for decades, but with increasing competition and its decision to promote “woke” culture, the Nike brand has suffered. Nike needs a way to reconnect with consumers, and the macro and micro environmental issues of today could be exactly the issues Nike can leverage to regain its position at the top. Jobs are need in the US, slave labor is unethical,…