Coordinates: 45.5093°N 122.

8299°W

Nike, Inc.

Nike, Inc.

Formerly Blue Ribbon Sports, Inc.

(1964–1971)

Type Public
Traded as NYSE: NKE (https://www.nyse.com/quote/XNYS:NKE) (Class B)
DJIA component
S&P 100 component
S&P 500 component
ISIN US6541061031 (https://iw.toolforge.org/isin/?language=en&isin
=US6541061031)
Industry Apparel
Accessories
Sports equipment
Founded January 25, 1964
Founders Bill Bowerman
Phil Knight
Headquarters Beaverton, Oregon, U.S.
Area served Worldwide
Key people Mark Parker
(Executive Chairman)

John Donahoe
(President and CEO)

Products Athletic shoes · athletic apparel · sporting goods · accessories

Revenue US$46.71 billion (2022)
Operating US$6.86 billion (2022)
income
Net income US$6.05 billion (2022)
Total assets US$40.32 billion (2022)
Total equity US$15.28 billion (2022)
Number of c. 79,100 (May 2022)
employees
Subsidiaries Converse
Nike, Inc. Website www.nike.com (https://www.nike.com)
(/ˈnaɪki/ ( listen) or
Footnotes / references
/ˈnaɪk/)[note 1] is an [1]
American
multinational corporation that is engaged in the design, development, manufacturing, and worldwide
marketing and sales of footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories, and services. The company is
headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, in the Portland metropolitan area.[3] It is the world's largest supplier
of athletic shoes and apparel and a major manufacturer of sports equipment, with revenue in excess of
US$37.4 billion in its fiscal year 2020 (ending May 31, 2020).[4] As of 2020, it employed 76,700 people
worldwide.[5] In 2020, the brand alone was valued in excess of $32 billion, making it the most valuable
brand among sports businesses.[6] Previously, in 2017, the Nike brand was valued at $29.6 billion.[7] Nike
ranked 89th in the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue.[8]

The company was founded on January 25, 1964, as "Blue Ribbon Sports", by Bill Bowerman and Phil
Knight, and officially became Nike, Inc. on May 30, 1971. The company takes its name from Nike, the
Greek goddess of victory.[9] Nike markets its products under its own brand, as well as Nike Golf, Nike Pro,
Nike+, Air Jordan, Nike Blazers, Air Force 1, Nike Dunk, Air Max, Foamposite, Nike Skateboarding,
Nike CR7,[10] and subsidiaries including Air Jordan and Converse. Nike also owned Bauer Hockey from
1995 to 2008, and previously owned Cole Haan, Umbro, and Hurley International.[11] In addition to
manufacturing sportswear and equipment, the company operates retail stores under the Niketown name.
Nike sponsors many high-profile athletes and sports teams around the world, with the highly recognized
trademarks of "Just Do It" and the Swoosh logo.

Contents
Origins and history
Acquisitions
Finance
Logo evolution
Products
Sports apparel
Street fashions
Collectibles
Headquarters
Controversies
Sweatshops
Child labor allegations
Strike in China factory
Paradise Papers
Colin Kaepernick
Hong Kong protests
Nike Vaporfly Shoe
Lil Nas X Satan Shoes
Forced Uyghur labor allegations
Environmental record
Recycling
 Sulfur hexafluoride
Toxic chemicals
Water pollution
Carbon footprint
Marketing strategy
Advertising
NBA uniform deal
Sponsorship
Ties with the University of Oregon
Causes
Program
See also
Notes
References
Further reading
External links

Origins and history

Nike, originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS), was
founded by University of Oregon track athlete Phil Knight and his
coach, Bill Bowerman, on January 25, 1964.[12] The company
initially operated in Eugene, Oregon as a distributor for Japanese
shoe maker Onitsuka Tiger, making most sales at track meets out of
Knight's automobile.[12]

According to Otis Davis, a University of Oregon student-athlete

coached by Bowerman and Olympic gold medalist at the 1960
Summer Olympics, his coach made the first pair of Nike shoes for
him, contradicting a claim that they were made for Phil Knight.
According to Davis, "I told Tom Brokaw that I was the first. I don't Bill Bowerman (left) conversing with
care what all the billionaires say. Bill Bowerman made the first pair Phil Knight (second from left) and
of shoes for me. People don't believe me. In fact, I didn't like the two other members of the Oregon
way they felt on my feet. There was no support and they were too track team, 1958
tight. But I saw Bowerman made them from the waffle iron, and
they were mine".[13]

In its first year in business, BRS sold 1,300 pairs of Japanese

running shoes grossing $8,000.[14] By 1965, sales had reached
$20,000. In 1966, BRS opened its first retail store at 3107 Pico
Boulevard in Santa Monica, California. In 1967, due to increasing
sales, BRS expanded retail and distribution operations on the East
Coast, in Wellesley, Massachusetts.[15]

Nike Factory Store in Wisconsin

By 1971, the relationship between BRS and Onitsuka Tiger came
to an end. BRS prepared to launch its own line of footwear, which
was rebranded as Nike, and would bear the Swoosh newly
designed by Carolyn Davidson.[16][17] The Swoosh was first used
by Nike on June 18, 1971,[18] and was registered with the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office on January 22, 1974.[19][20]

In 1976, the company hired John Brown and Partners, based in

Seattle, as its first advertising agency.[21] The following year, the A Nike Store in Harajuku, Tokyo,
agency created the first "brand ad" for Nike, called "There is no Japan
finish line", in which no Nike product was shown.[21] By 1980,
Nike had attained a 50% market share in the U.S. athletic shoe
market, and the company went public in December of that year.[22]

Wieden+Kennedy, Nike's primary ad agency, has worked with

Nike to create many print and television advertisements, and
Wieden+Kennedy remains Nike's primary ad agency.[23] It was
agency co-founder Dan Wieden who coined the now-famous
slogan "Just Do It" for a 1988 Nike ad campaign,[24] which was
chosen by Advertising Age as one of the top five ad slogans of the
20th century and enshrined in the Smithsonian Institution.[25] Walt Nike Kicks Lounge in Harbour City,
Stack was featured in Nike's first "Just Do It" advertisement, which Hong Kong
debuted on July 1, 1988.[26] Wieden credits the inspiration for the
slogan to "Let's do it", the last words spoken by Gary Gilmore
before he was executed.[27]

Throughout the 1980s, Nike expanded its product line to encompass many sports and regions throughout
the world.[28] In 1990, Nike moved into its eight-building World Headquarters campus in Beaverton,
Oregon.[29] The first Nike retail store, dubbed Niketown, opened in downtown Portland in November of
that year.[30]

Phil Knight announced in mid-2015 that he would step down as chairman of Nike in 2016.[31][32] He
officially stepped down from all duties with the company on June 30, 2016.[33]

In a company public announcement on March 15, 2018, Nike CEO Mark Parker said Trevor Edwards, a
top Nike executive who was seen as a potential successor to the chief executive, was relinquishing his
position as Nike's brand president and would retire in August.[34]

In October 2019, John Donahoe was announced as the next CEO, and succeeded Parker on January 13,
2020.[35] In November 2019, the company stopped selling directly through Amazon, focusing more on
direct relationships with customers.[36]

On June 24, 2021, during an earnings call with investors, CEO John Donahoe stated that "Nike is a brand
that is of China and for China", in response to a question about competing against Chinese brands.[37]

Acquisitions

Nike has acquired and sold several apparel and footwear companies over the course of its history. Its first
acquisition was the upscale footwear company Cole Haan in 1988,[38] followed by the purchase of Bauer
Hockey in 1994.[39] In 2002, Nike bought surf apparel company Hurley International from founder Bob
Hurley.[40] In 2003, Nike paid US$309 million to acquire sneaker
company Converse.[41] The company acquired Starter in 2004[42] and
soccer uniform maker Umbro in 2007.[43]

In order to refocus its business lines, Nike began divesting itself of some
of its subsidiaries in the 2000s.[44] It sold Starter in 2007[42] and Bauer
Hockey in 2008.[39] The company sold Umbro in 2012[45] and Cole
Haan in 2013.[46] As of 2020, Nike owns only one subsidiary: Converse
Inc.

Nike acquired Zodiac, a consumer data analytics company, in March

2018.[47] In August 2019, the company acquired Celect, a Boston-based
predictive analytics company.[48] In December 2021, Nike purchased
RTFKT Studios, a virtual shoe company that makes NFTs.[49] A Nike flagship store in
Manhattan
In February 2021, Nike acquired Datalogue, a New York based company
focused on digital sales and machine learning technology.[50]

Finance

Nike was made a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2013,
when it replaced Alcoa.[51]

On December 19, 2013, Nike's quarterly profit rose due to a 13 percent

increase in global orders for merchandise since April of that year. Future
orders of shoes or clothes for delivery between December and April, rose
to $10.4 billion. Nike shares (NKE) rose 0.6 percent to $78.75 in
extended trading.[52]

In November 2015, Nike announced it would initiate a $12 billion share

buyback, as well as a two-for-one stock split, with shares to begin trading
A Nike Factory Store in
at the decreased price on December 24.[53] The split will be the seventh
Vaughan Mills
in company history.

In June 2018, Nike announced it would initiate a $15 billion share

buyback over four years, to begin in 2019 upon completion of the previous buyback program.[54]

For the fiscal year 2018, Nike reported earnings of US$1.933 billion, with annual revenue of US$36.397
billion, an increase of 6.0% over the previous fiscal cycle. Nike's shares traded at over $72 per share, and
its market capitalization was valued at over US$114.5 billion in October 2018.[55]

In March 2020, Nike reported a 5% drop in Chinese sales associated with stores' closure due to the
COVID-19 outbreak. It was the first decrease in six years. At the same time, the company's online sales
grew by 36% during Q1 of 2020. Also, the sales of personal training apps grew by 80% in China.[56]
 Revenue Net income Total assets Price per share
Year Employees
in mil. USD in mil. USD in mil. USD in USD

2005 13,740 1,212 8,794 8.75 26,000

2006 14,955 1,392 9,870 9.01 28,000

2007 16,326 1,492 10,688 12.14 30,200

2008 18,627 1,883 12,443 13.05 32,500

2009 19,176 1,487 13,250 12.14 34,300

2010 19,014 1,907 14,419 16.80 34,400

2011 20,117 2,133 14,998 19.82 38,000

2012 23,331 2,211 15,465 23.39 44,000

2013 25,313 2,472 17,545 30.50 48,000

2014 27,799 2,693 18,594 38.56 56,500

2015 30,601 3,273 21,597 53.18 62,600

2016 32,376 3,760 21,379 54.80 70,700

2017 34,350 4,240 23,259 54.99 74,400

2018 36,397 1,933 22,536 72.63 73,100

2019 39,117 4,029 23,717 86.73 76,700

2020 37,403 2,539 31,342 106.46 75,400

2021 44,538 5,727 37,740 141.47 73,300

2022 46,710 6,046 40,321 166.67 79,100

Logo evolution

1964–71 1971–78 1978–95[note2 1]

 1995–present

Notes

1. This logo is still used on some retro products with red boxes

Products

Sports apparel

Nike produces a wide range of sports equipment and apparel. Their

first products were track running shoes. Nike Air Max is a line of
shoes first released by Nike, Inc. in 1987. Additional product lines
were introduced later, such as Air Huarache, which debuted in
1992. The most recent additions to their line are the Nike 6.0, Nike
NYX, and Nike SB shoes, designed for skateboarding. Nike has Nike Zoom Elite 2 athletic shoe
recently introduced cricket shoes called Air Zoom Yorker, designed
to be 30% lighter than their competitors'.[57] In 2008, Nike
introduced the Air Jordan XX3, a high-performance basketball
shoe designed with the environment in mind.

Nike's range of products include shoes, jerseys, shorts, cleats,

baselayers, etc. for sports activities such as association football,[58]
basketball, track and field, combat sports, tennis, American football,
athletics, golf, ice hockey, and cross training for men, women, and
children. Nike also sells shoes for activities such as skateboarding,
baseball, cycling, volleyball, wrestling, cheerleading, lacrosse,
cricket, aquatic activities, auto racing, and other athletic and
recreational uses. Nike recently teamed up with Apple Inc. to A pair of Nike Air Jordan I basketball
produce the Nike+ product that monitors a runner's performance shoes
via a radio device in the shoe that links to the iPod nano. While the
product generates useful statistics, it has been criticized by
researchers who were able to identify users' RFID devices from 60 feet (18 m) away using small,
concealable intelligence motes in a wireless sensor network.[59][60]

In 2004, Nike launched the SPARQ Training Program/Division.[61] Some of Nike's newest shoes contain
Flywire and Lunarlite Foam to reduce weight.[62] The Air Zoom Vomero running shoe, introduced in 2006
and currently in its 11th generation, featured a combination of groundbreaking innovations including a full-
length air cushioned sole,[63] an external heel counter, a crashpad in the heel for shock absorption, and Fit
Frame technology for a stable fit.[64]
Nike Vaporfly

The Nike Vaporfly first came out in 2017 and their popularity,
along with its performance, prompted a new series of running
shoes.[65][66] The Vaporfly series has a new technological
composition that has revolutionized long-distance running since
studies have shown that these shoes can improve run times up to
4.2%.[66] The composition of the sole contains a foamy material,
Pebax, that Nike has altered and now calls it ZoomX (which can be
found in other Nike products as well). Pebax foam can also be Nike Vaporfly cut in half to show the
found in airplane insulation and is "squishier, bouncier, and lighter" different layers that make up the
than foams in typical running shoes.[66] In the middle of the base of the shoe. The dark grey line
ZoomX foam there is a full-length carbon fiber plate "designed to shows the carbon fiber plate.
generate extra spring in every step".[66] At the time of this writing
Nike had just released its newest product from the Vaporfly line,
the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT%, which was marketed as "the
fastest shoe we’ve ever made" using Nike's "two most innovative
technologies, Nike ZoomX foam and VaporWeave material".[67]

Street fashions

The Nike brand, with its distinct V-shaped logo, quickly became
regarded as a status symbol[68] in modern urban fashion and hip-
hop fashion[69] due to its association with success in sport.[70] Nike cleat
Beginning in the 1980s, various items of Nike clothing became
staples of mainstream American youth fashion, especially
tracksuits, shell suits, baseball caps, Air Jordans, Air Force 1's, and
Air Max running shoes[71] with thick, air cushioned rubber soles
and contrasting blue, yellow, green, white, or red trim.[72] Limited
edition sneakers and prototypes with a regional early release were
known as Quickstrikes,[73] and became highly desirable items[74]
for teenage members of the sneakerhead subculture.[75]

By the 1990s and 2000s, American and European teenagers[76]

associated with the preppy[77] or popular clique[78] began Nike Elite no-show socks with
combining these sneakers, [79] leggings, sweatpants, crop tops, [80]
cushioned sole
and tracksuits with regular casual chic[81] street clothes[82] such as
jeans, skirts, leg warmers, slouch socks, and bomber jackets.
Particularly popular were the unisex spandex Nike Tempo compression shorts[83] worn for cycling and
running, which had a mesh lining, waterproofing, and, later in the 2000s, a zip pocket for a Walkman or
MP3 player.[84]

From the late 2000s into the 2010s, Nike Elite basketball socks began to be worn as everyday clothes by
hip-hop fans and young children.[85] Originally plain white or black, these socks had special shock
absorbing cushioning in the sole[86] plus a moisture wicking upper weave.[87] Later, Nike Elite socks
became available in bright colors inspired by throwback basketball uniforms,[88] often with contrasting
bold abstract designs, images of celebrities,[89] and freehand digital print[90] to capitalise upon the emerging
nostalgia for 1990s fashion.
In 2015, a new self-lacing shoe was introduced. Called the Nike Mag, which are replicas of the shoes
featured in Back to the Future Part II, it had a preliminary limited release, only available by auction with all
proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.[91] This was done again in 2016.[92]

Nike have introduced a premium line, focused more on streetwear than sports wear called NikeLab.[93]

In March 2017, Nike announced its launch of a plus-size clothing line, which will feature new sizes 1X
through 3X on more than 200 products.[94] Another significant development at this time was the Chuck
Taylor All-Star Modern, an update of the classic basketball sneaker that incorporated the circular knit upper
and cushioned foam sole of Nike's Air Jordans.[95]

Collectibles

On July 23, 2019, a pair of Nike Inc. running shoes sold for $437,500 at a Sotheby's auction. The so-called
"Moon Shoes" were designed by Nike co-founder and track coach Bill Bowerman for runners participating
in the 1972 Olympics trials. The buyer was Miles Nadal, a Canadian investor and car collector, who had
just paid $850,000 for a group of 99 rare of limited collection pairs of sport shoes. The purchase price was
the highest for one pair of sneakers, the previous record being $190,373 in 2017 for a pair of signed
Converse shoes in California, said to have been worn by Michael Jordan during the 1984 basketball final of
the Olympics that year.[96]

Headquarters
Nike's world headquarters are surrounded by the city of Beaverton
but are within unincorporated Washington County. The city
attempted to forcibly annex Nike's headquarters, which led to a
lawsuit by Nike, and lobbying by the company that ultimately
ended in Oregon Senate Bill 887 of 2005. Under that bill's terms,
Beaverton is specifically barred from forcibly annexing the land
that Nike and Columbia Sportswear occupy in Washington County
for 35 years, while Electro Scientific Industries and Tektronix
Nike World Headquarters in
receive the same protection for 30 years.[97] Nike is planning to
Beaverton, Oregon
build a 3.2 million square foot expansion to its World Headquarters
in Beaverton.[98] The design will target LEED Platinum
certification and will be highlighted by natural daylight, and a gray water treatment center.[98]

Controversies
Nike has contracted with more than 700 shops around the world and has offices located in 45 countries
outside the United States.[99] Most of the factories are located in Asia, including Indonesia, China, Taiwan,
India,[100] Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, Philippines, and Malaysia.[101] Nike is hesitant to disclose
information about the contract companies it works with. However, due to harsh criticism from some
organizations like CorpWatch, Nike has disclosed information about its contract factories in its Corporate
Governance Report.

Sweatshops
In the 1990s, Nike received criticism for its use of sweatshops.[102][103] Later on that year, many protests
occurred in big cities such as in Washington, DC and Boston in order to show public outcry for Nikes use
of child labor and sweatshops. Nike has been criticized for contracting with factories (known as Nike
sweatshops) in countries such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Mexico. Vietnam Labor Watch, an activist
group, has documented that factories contracted by Nike have violated minimum wage and overtime laws
in Vietnam as late as 1996, although Nike claims that this practice has been stopped.[104] The company has
been subject to much critical coverage of the often poor working conditions and exploitation of cheap
overseas labor employed in the free trade zones where their goods are typically manufactured. Sources for
this criticism include Naomi Klein's book No Logo and Michael Moore documentaries.

Campaigns have been taken up by many colleges and universities, especially anti-globalisation groups, as
well as several anti-sweatshop groups such as the United Students Against Sweatshops.[105]

As of July 2011, Nike stated that two-thirds of its factories producing Converse products still do not meet
the company's standards for worker treatment. A July 2011 Associated Press article stated that employees at
the company's plants in Indonesia reported constant abuse from supervisors.[106]

Child labor allegations

During the 1990s, Nike faced criticism for the use of child labor in Cambodia and Pakistan in factories it
contracted to manufacture soccer balls. Although Nike took action to curb or at least reduce the practice,
they continue to contract their production to companies that operate in areas where inadequate regulation
and monitoring make it hard to ensure that child labor is not being used.[107]

In 2001, a BBC documentary uncovered occurrences of child labor and poor working conditions in a
Cambodian factory used by Nike.[108] The documentary focused on six girls, who all worked seven days a
week, often 16 hours a day.

Strike in China factory

In April 2014, one of the biggest strikes in mainland China took place at the Yue Yuen Industrial Holdings
Dongguan shoe factory, producing amongst others for Nike. Yue Yuen did underpay an employee by 250
yuan (40.82 US Dollars) per month. The average salary at Yue Yuen is 3000 yuan per month. The factory
employs 70,000 people. This practice was in place for nearly 20 years.[109][110][111]

Paradise Papers

On November 5, 2017, the Paradise Papers, a set of confidential electronic documents relating to offshore
investment, revealed that Nike is among the corporations that used offshore companies to avoid
taxes.[112][113][114]

Appleby documents detail how Nike boosted its after-tax profits by, among other maneuvers, transferring
ownership of its Swoosh trademark to a Bermudan subsidiary, Nike International Ltd. This transfer allowed
the subsidiary to charge royalties to its European headquarters in Hilversum, Netherlands, effectively
converting taxable company profits to an account payable in tax-free Bermuda.[115] Although the
subsidiary was effectively run by executives at Nike's main offices in Beaverton, Oregon—to the point
where a duplicate of the Bermudan company's seal was needed—for tax purposes the subsidiary was
treated as Bermuda. Its profits were not declared in Europe and came to light only because of a mostly
unrelated case in US Tax Court, where papers filed by Nike briefly mention royalties in 2010, 2011 and
2012 totaling $3.86 billion.[115] Under an arrangement with Dutch
authorities, the tax break was to expire in 2014, so another reorganization
transferred the intellectual property from the Bermudan company to a
Dutch commanditaire vennootschap or limited partnership, Nike Innovate
CV. Dutch law treats income earned by a CV as if it had been earned by
the principals, who owe no tax in the Netherlands if they do not reside
there.[115]

Colin Kaepernick

In September 2018, Nike announced it had signed former American

football quarterback Colin Kaepernick, noted for his controversial decision
to kneel during the playing of the US national anthem, to a long-term
advertising campaign.[116] According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Nike office in North America
Sports, Kaepernick and Nike agreed to a new contract despite the fact
Kaepernick has been with the company since 2011 and said that "interest
from other shoe companies" played a part in the new agreement. Robinson said the contract is a "wide
endorsement" where Kaepernick will have his own branded line including shoes, shirts, jerseys and more.
According to Robinson, Kaepernick signed a "star" contract that puts him level with a "top-end NFL
player" worth millions per year plus royalties.[117] In response, some people set fire to their own Nike-
branded clothes and shoes or cut the Nike swoosh logo out of their clothes, and the Fraternal Order of
Police called the advertisement an "insult";[118][119][120] others, such as LeBron James,[121] Serena
Williams,[122] and the National Black Police Association,[120] praised Nike for its campaign. The College
of the Ozarks removed Nike from all their athletic uniforms in response.[123]

During the following week, Nike's stock price fell 2.2%, even as online orders of Nike products rose 27%
compared with the previous year.[124] In the following three months, Nike reported a rise in sales.[125]

In July 2019, Nike released a shoe featuring a Betsy Ross flag called the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of
July trainers. The trainers were designed to celebrate Independence Day. The model was subsequently
withdrawn after Colin Kaepernick told the brand he and others found the flag offensive because of its
association with slavery.[126][127][128]

Nike's decision to withdraw the product drew criticism from Arizona's Republican Governor, Doug Ducey,
and Texas's Republican Senator Ted Cruz.[129] Nike's decision was praised by others due to the use of the
flag by white nationalists,[128] but the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism has declined to add
the flag to its database of "hate symbols."[130]

Hong Kong protests

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence criticized Nike for "siding with the Chinese Communist Party and
silencing free speech". He claimed that after Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was criticized
by the Chinese government for his tweet supporting the 2019 Hong Kong protests, Nike removed Rockets
merchandise from its stores in China.[131] He stated that the brand "promotes itself as a so called social-
justice champion, but when it comes to Hong Kong, it prefers checking its social conscience at the
door."[132]

Nike Vaporfly Shoe

Nike sponsors top athletes in many sports to use their products and promote
and advertise their technology and design. Nike's first professional athlete
endorser was Romanian tennis player Ilie Năstase.[17] The first track
endorser was distance runner Steve Prefontaine. Prefontaine was the prized
pupil of the company's co-founder, Bill Bowerman, while he coached at the
University of Oregon. Today, the Steve Prefontaine Building is named in
his honor at Nike's corporate headquarters. Nike has only made one statue
of its sponsored athletes and it is of Steve Prefontaine.[178]

Nike has also sponsored many other successful track and field athletes over
the years, such as Sebastian Coe, Carl Lewis, Jackie Joyner-Kersee,
Michael Johnson and Allyson Felix. The signing of basketball player
Michael Jordan in 1984, with his subsequent promotion of Nike over the
Michael Jordan (pictured in
course of his career, with Spike Lee as Mars Blackmon, proved to be one
1987) helped drive Nike
of the biggest boosts to Nike's publicity and sales.[179] sales.

Nike is a major sponsor of the athletic

programs at Penn State University and named its first child care facility
after Joe Paterno when it opened in 1990 at the company's headquarters.
Nike originally announced it would not remove Paterno's name from the
building in the wake of the Penn State sex abuse scandal. After the Freeh
Report was released on July 12, 2012, Nike CEO Mark Parker announced
the name Joe Paterno would be removed immediately from the child
development center. A new name has yet to be announced.[182][183]

In the early 1990s, Nike made a strong

push into the association football business
Ronaldinho (pictured with
making endorsement deals with famous and
Barcelona in 2007) appeared charismatic players such as Romário, Eric
in a 2005 Nike Cantona or Edgar Davids. They continued
advertisement that went the growth in the sport by signing more top
viral on YouTube, becoming players including: Ronaldo, Ronaldinho,
the site's first video to reach Francesco Totti, Thierry Henry, Didier
one million views. [180][181] Drogba, Andrés Iniesta, Wayne Rooney
and still have many of the sport's biggest
stars under their name, with Cristiano
Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Neymar, Harry Kane, Eden Hazard and
Kylian Mbappé among others.[184]

Nike has been the official ball supplier for the Premier League since the
2000–01 season.[185] In 2012, Nike carried a commercial partnership with Nike Hypervenom 3 boots
the Asian Football Confederation.[186] In August 2014, Nike announced were commissioned for
that they will not renew their kit supply deal with Manchester United after French prodigy Kylian
the 2014–15 season, citing rising costs.[187] Since the start of the 2015–16 Mbappé.
season, Adidas has manufactured Manchester United's kit as part of a
world-record 10-year deal worth a minimum of £750 million.[188]

Nike still has many of the top teams playing in their uniforms, including: FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-
Germain and Liverpool (the latter from the 2020–21 season),[189] and the national teams of Brazil, France,
England, Portugal and the Netherlands among many others.
 Nike has been the sponsor for many top ranked tennis players.
Brand's commercial success in the sport went hand in hand with the
endorsement deals signed with the biggest and the world's most
charismatic stars and number one ranked players of the subsequent
eras, including John McEnroe in the 1980s, Andre Agassi and Pete
Sampras in the 1990s and Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena
Williams and Maria Sharapova with the start of the 21st
century.[190]

Nike logo in the Camp Nou, the Nike has sponsored Tiger Woods
home stadium of Barcelona for much of his career, and
remained on his side amid the
controversies that shaped the
golfer's career. [191] In January 2013, Nike signed Rory McIlroy, the then
No 1 golfer in the world to a 10-year sponsorship deal worth $250 million.
The deal includes using Nike's range of golf clubs, a move Nick Faldo
previously described as "dangerous" for McIlroy's game.[192]

Nike was the official kit sponsor for the Indian cricket team from 2005 to
2020.[193][194] On February 21, 2013, Nike announced it suspended its
contract with South African limbless athlete Oscar Pistorius, due to him
being charged with premeditated murder.[195]
Tiger Woods
Nike consolidated its position in basketball in 2015 when it was announced
that the company would sign an 8-year deal with the NBA, taking over
from the league's previous uniform sponsor, Adidas. The deal required all franchise team members to wear
jerseys and shorts with the Swoosh logo, beginning with the 2017/18 season.[196] After the success of
partnership with Jordan, which resulted in the creation of the unique Air Jordan brand, Nike has continued
to build partnership with the biggest names in basketball. LeBron James was given the Slogan "We are All
Witnesses" when he signed with Nike. Similar to "Air Jordan", LeBron's brand became massively popular.
The slogan was an extremely accurate way to describe the situation LeBron was heading into in the NBA
as he was expected to be the new king of the NBA.[197] Some have had signature shoes designed for them,
including Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and more recently LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis
Antetokounmpo and Paul George, among others.[198][199][200][201][202][203]

A news report originating from CNN reported that Nike spent $11.5 billion, nearly a third of its sales, on
marketing and endorsement contracts in the year 2018. Nike and its Jordan brand sponsored 85 men's and
women's basketball teams in the NCAA tournament.[204]

Ties with the University of Oregon

Nike maintains strong ties, both directly and through partnerships with Phil Knight, with the University of
Oregon.[205] Nike designs the University of Oregon football program's team attire.[206] New unique
combinations are issued before every game day.[205] Tinker Hatfield, who also redesigned the university's
logo, leads this effort.[207]

More recently, the corporation donated $13.5 million towards the renovation and expansion of Hayward
Field.[208]
 Nike’s Marketing Mix (4Ps/Product, Place, Promotion,
Price)
ike’s Products (Product Mix)
This element of the marketing mix enumerates the sporting goods company’s organizational outputs, also
known as the product mix, which is the set of products offered to target customers. Nike Inc.’s marketing
strategy involves growing the business through market-based changes in its product mix. For example, the
sports and leisure footwear business’s research and development investments produce new products and
enhanced versions of current products, resulting in corresponding improvements in the 4P variables. As
Nike’s marketing mix evolves, the business adds or changes its operational processes, such as
manufacturing of shoes, apparel, and equipment for various sports. This evolution also comes with new
technologies to improve the product mix and other 4P variables, as indicated in Nike Inc.’s generic strategy
and intensive growth strategies. At present, the sporting goods company’s marketing mix includes a wide
variety of product categories and brands. However, broadly speaking, the following categories represent
Nike’s product mix:

1. Footwear
2. Apparel
3. Equipment and accessories

Shoes are the most popular products from Nike Inc., and the company’s overall marketing strategy gradually
adds more product lines to strengthen the product mix. For example, the company now offers running
shoes, tennis shoes, and shoes for a variety of other sports, including cricket. Nike also sells apparel, such
as jerseys, shorts, and related products. Furthermore, the company’s marketing mix includes product lines
for accessories and equipment, such as golf clubs. These products are available under a number of the
company’s brands, including Air Jordan and Converse. Based on this element of the marketing mix, Nike
 expands its product mix to address the needs of its target markets and market segments, thereby making
the 4Ps more suited to market characteristics.

Place/Distribution in Nike’s Marketing Mix

This element of the marketing mix outlines the venues where the sporting goods company’s products are
sold, accessed, or distributed. This 4P variable focuses on optimizing Nike’s market reach. The company
sells its sports shoes, apparel, and equipment through a large number of outlets worldwide, including large
retailers and specialty outlets. In this context of the marketing mix, the following places or venues form
Nike’s distribution strategy, arranged according to significance in the company’s marketing strategy and
performance:

1. Retail stores
2. Nike Online Store
3. Niketown retail outlets (company-owned)

Retail stores are the most significant places where Nike products are sold because these venues are
strategically located and easily accessible in various markets around the world. These retailers include small
local and regional stores, as well as large firms like Walmart (also see Walmart’s Marketing Mix or 4P). This
4P element of Nike’s marketing strategies also shows that customers can purchase sports shoes, apparel,
and equipment through the company’s online store. In addition, the business operates its Niketown retail
outlets, where the company has control on retail sales processes. These outlets are company-owned and
allow access to business and market intelligence that supports corporate strategic management with regard
to Nike’s marketing strategies and tactics for current and emerging products. Based on this element of the
marketing mix, the company has considerable control on the distribution of its products, especially through
its online store and Niketown retail outlets, making this 4P variable an information contributor to strategic
formulation. However, this element of the marketing mix also shows that Nike has limited control on the
distribution and sale of its products at other retail outlets.
 Nike Inc.’s Promotion (Promotional Mix)
Main article: Nike Inc.’s Promotional Mix (Marketing Communications Mix)

This marketing mix element, also known as marketing communications mix, involves the tactics that Nike
uses to communicate with its target markets. The company depends on the effective promotion of its
products to maintain a strong brand image, which is one of the strengths determined in the SWOT analysis
of Nike Inc. This part of the sporting goods company’s marketing mix uses promotional tactics to
communicate with customers about its products, and persuade them to purchase these products. The
following are Nike’s promotional activities, arranged according to significance in the firm’s marketing
strategies:

1. Advertising
2. Personal selling
3. Direct marketing
4. Sales promotions
5. Public relations

Advertising is one of the biggest contributors to Nike’s ability to attract customers. In this 4P variable, the
company heavily relies on advertisements, especially those that involve high-profile celebrity endorsers,
such as professional athletes and sports teams. This element of the company’s marketing mix also includes
personal selling through sales personnel who persuade target consumers to buy the company’s sporting
goods. For example, sales personnel at Niketown retail outlets are trained to use such persuasion tactics.
On the other hand, in the context of the 4Ps, the company’s direct marketing activities involve promoting its
products through direct communications with colleges, local sports teams, and other organizations. In
addition, in terms of sales promotions, Nike occasionally provides discounts and special offers to attract
more customers and generate more sales. Moreover, the marketing mix includes public relations, in which
the company sponsors and provides financial support to organizations, such as community-based networks,
to promote its athletic shoes, apparel, and equipment. Based on the tactics included in this element of Nike’s
 marketing mix, the business depends on its relations with high-profile endorsers to succeed in promoting its
business and products to the international sporting goods market.

Nike’s Prices and Pricing Strategies

This element of the marketing mix identifies the prices that maximize profits while attracting the desired
share of the multinational market for leisure and sporting goods. Nike’s technology investments relate to
marketing strategies to offer its products at a premium price. Still, the company’s marketing mix considers
current market conditions in setting its price points and price ranges. Based on these considerations for this
4P variable, Nike Inc. applies the following pricing strategies in its business:

1. Value-based pricing strategy

2. Premium pricing strategy

In the value-based pricing strategy, Nike Inc. considers consumer perception about the value of its products.
In the marketing mix context, perceived value determines the maximum prices that consumers are willing to
pay for the company’s sports shoes, apparel, and equipment. In contrast, the premium pricing strategy uses
high prices, based on a premium branding strategy that establishes Nike products as higher in quality and
value than competing products. In this 4P variable, the footwear company’s use of advertisements involving
high-profile celebrity endorsers is indicative of such emphasis on premium branding. In using the premium
pricing strategy as part of its marketing mix, Nike enjoys higher profit margins and potentially higher sales
revenues, as customers associate a premium status with the company’s products. Also, a relevant point is
that, based on the premium statuses and premium prices are linked to the sociocultural and economic
trends in the industry environment. The footwear and apparel business adjusts its price ranges and price
points according to such trends, to ensure that this 4P variable suits the market. In this element of the
marketing mix, Nike Inc. successfully uses its pricing strategies to maximize its profits while emphasizing
high value in promoting its products and brands.
Nike’s marketing strategy
Position products carefully
Let‟s think about Nike for a second and tell the first word that describes shoes of this brand, you can quickly identify it,
“athletic shoes”. The stronger the brand is, the quicker people can relate it with a differentiated characteristic or
product.

Nike has a clear-cut identity as a sportswear brand, which has been building for a long time with multifaceted
marketing strategies. However, behind all of them, there is one element that plays a fundamental role, it is product
positioning.

Let‟s analyze Nike athletic shoes‟ go-to-market strategy and see what we can learn from.

“A shoe must be three things, It must be light, comfortable and it‟s got to go the distance.” - Bill Bowerman, co-
founder of Nike.

For Nike, the segmentation is professional athletes, sportsmen or people who are going to join the sporty or healthy
lifestyle. This market is potential and the consumers are supposed to be serious about their purchase decision.

If you can name one or a few characteristics of your products that they can be used for differentiated from others on the
market, you are halfway to success. Nike‟s owners did declare the uniqueness of the brand‟ shoes with three points, by
which customers can easily decide whether to buy Nike shoes or find another brand.

So, if you are selling t-shirts, immediately think about assigning them with purified traits. For example, breathable;
eco-friendly or outdoor-inspired t-shirts, etc. If you are selling furniture, for example, let customers think of them with
the feeling of elegance; minimalism; nature-friendly or industrial.
Once you get the answer to the positioning question, even not easy, all of your marketing tactics will automatically
work to affirm the qualities and gain some space in customers‟ minds.

Beatles song
Nike was criticized for its use of the Beatles song "Revolution" in a 1987 commercial against the wishes of Apple Records, the
Beatles' recording company. Nike paid US$250,000 to Capitol Records Inc., which held the North American licensing rights to
the recordings, for the right to use the Beatles' rendition for a year. [170]
That same year, Apple Records sued Nike Inc., Capitol Records Inc., EMI Records Inc. and Wieden+Kennedy for
$15 million.[170] Capitol-EMI countered by saying the lawsuit was "groundless" because Capitol had licensed the use of
"Revolution" with the "active support and encouragement of Yoko Ono, a shareholder and director of Apple Records."
Nike discontinued airing ads featuring "Revolution" in March 1988. Yoko Ono later gave permission to Nike to use John
Lennon's "Instant Karma" in another advertisement.

Minor Threat advertisement

In late June 2005, Nike received criticism from Ian MacKaye, owner of Dischord Records, guitarist/vocalist for Fugazi and The
Evens, and front man of the defunct punk band Minor Threat, for appropriating imagery and text from Minor Threat's 1981 self-
titled album's cover art in a flyer promoting Nike Skateboarding's 2005 East Coast demo tour.[171]
On June 27, Nike Skateboarding's website issued an apology to Dischord, Minor Threat, and fans of both and announced that
they have tried to remove and dispose of all flyers. They stated that the people who designed it were skateboarders and Minor
Threat fans themselves who created the advertisement out of respect and appreciation for the band. [172] The dispute was
eventually settled out of court between Nike and Minor Threat.

Sell touching stories instead of amazing products

Nike is the master of masters in storytelling, you can‟t deny. Who can inspire and encourage ordinary people to keep
running and practicing to reach their health or sports goals? Nike has done that since the beginning. Because its
founders were athletes, they could tell authentic stories.

In an inspiring blog on Forbes, Celinne Da Costa - a story architect, has emphasized three reasons to use storytelling
skills in Marketing strategy:

 Be different in the sea of sameness

 Create a sense of belonging
 Complete a mission

Back in Nike‟s early days, when Bill Bowerman started the idea of selling more shoes to the market, he knew that he
had to tell a story. Being a track and field coach, he easily wrote the story for his own products and connected with
audiences. His mission, as well as the brand mission in those days, might have been “creating shoes for athletes”.

Nike, a brilliant storyteller, has created the sense of belonging for any of its customers for almost 50 years. Customers
of Nike need to be aware of their strength and grow the ambition for reaching stronger, faster, and higher.

Employ the power of social media marketing

For the fact that many customers of Nike are members of the social media network, the brand knew that it had to
connect with audiences via social media channels and gain brand recognition as soon as possible.

Take a look around Nike‟s social media profiles, you can easily see how successful the brand has become. 138 million
followers on Instagram and 8.3 million followers on Twitter (two most-followed active channels). If you go to these
two pages, you will see perfectly corresponding voices as well as actions that Nike speaks and does.

Tactics that employed in Nike‟s social media marketing strategy are:

 Collab with high-profile people
 Use user-generated content
 Appear in customers‟ conversations
 Distribute storytelling across social media channels

When you can sell the stories, values and benefits, you might not need to be bothered by the thought of competing with
your competitors in terms of price. Just focus on delivering values to your customers‟ life by using your products.

According to a survey by Adobe in 2018, gen Z and millennials, who were born between 1980 and early 2010s, most
likely use social media as their connecting channels with digital advertisements.

For a company that targets the younger generation like Nike, it is important to use social media as a vital part of their
marketing strategy. Let‟s see what methods they put into practice.

#1 Nike’s social media content type: User-generated content

Nikewomen is a particular channel for women on Instagram. The channel holds women empowerment content that
inspires the healthy and sporty lifestyle. Following is a post on the channel.

A post on Instagram - nikewomen

If you have a chance to take a look at the post, you will see the message that Nike helps to send over is clearly and
catchy: self-care. The two women on the videos shared about their works and ambition to revolutionize fitness through
community. Any ordinary woman who is interested in self-care might possibly feel involved in the community and
also, attracted to the brand who shares the message.

#2 Feature collaborations with celebrities

Being a big brand in a multitude of industries, Nike has collaborated with many celebrities and influencers. If scrolling
through their social media account, you can come across high profile faces in the sport industry: Tiger Woods, Serena
Williams, Rafael Nadal, etc. each of them is a notable individual and embraces distinct qualities.

Rafael Nadal’s quote-inspired post on Nike Instagram

The way Nike features high- profile people on their social channel is storytelling, which is mentioned above. Because
every well-known individual has their own story, the audiences can easily relate as well as reflect on themselves.

#3 Join in customer’s social conversations

Check out the following conversation on Twitter, when a customer mentioned Nike on his post:

Nike's Twitter
Nike has truly turned Twitter into a place to be heard from its customers. Customers can have positive or negative
conversations about the brand, however, Nike knows social media conversations like those are one of the purest kinds
of customers‟ conversation and feedback.

Social media platforms are one of the most low-cost but effective tools for social hearing, where the opinions are
authentic and objective.

#4 Let influencers to promote the brand

Being a reputable brand, Nike undoubtedly gains a lot of attention from the influencer community without sponsoring.
If you go to Youtube and type in “nike review” on the search bar, you can receive about hundreds of results.
However, the reasons behind this popularity that Nike gains includes a necessary element, an affiliate program. Nike
has utilized affiliate marketing to gain a broad spectrum of sports, fashion, lifestyle topics solely on Youtube.

The “Nike-related” topics are still popular searched topics on Youtube because of the creativity of new influencers as
well as innovative products of Nike.

Ensure easy, exciting and hassle-free online purchasing

“Digital is fueling how we create the future of retail” - Nike CEO Jon Donahoe said.

According to CNBC, Nike‟s online sales has reached over 50% of total revenue, updated in Sep, 2020. Before the
Covid-19 pandemic, the brand only projected the number would be 30% by 2023. It‟s clear that the crisis has pumped
up the development of Nike‟s e-commerce strategy significantly.

How has Nike been guiding its customers through the online shopping experiences smoothly? Analyzing Nike‟s e-
commerce strategy, we have found out some effectives tactics of this giant brand.

#1 Bold branded-website design

Nike's website
Nike has always put an emphasis on the imagery of their marketing strategy. Images often show the bold, fearless side
of the users when they use Nike products. The stunning visual is shown on Nike‟s website as well, I mean, just look at
the picture above.

On all pages of the website, you can see stunning images of the products and models, leading a vibrant lifestyle of an
“athlete”. This strategy further implements Nike‟s branding image into visitors‟ minds, leaving an impression of a sport
brand that is unique and youthful.
#2 Smart product recommendations

Nike's product recommendations

For eCommerce, a big part of the marketing strategy is the buying experience. If an eCommerce business can provide
an excellent shopping experience, consumers will naturally recommend the brand to other shoppers.

For Nike, it is the smart product recommendations that make a consumer satisfied with their experience. Like in the
picture above, Nike‟s website would automatically recommend relevant products to the product that the visitor is
viewing.

I was viewing a pair of running shoes for women, so the recommended products also have the same style and similar
colors to the one I clicked on.

#3 Useful, logic and detailed product filtering

Nike’s product filtering usability
Another feature that improves the eCommerce shopping experience of the website is the product filter. As the image
above suggests, consumers can sort products by many aspects, such as size, brand, type, suitable weather, icon,
material, technology, height, width, and more.

As a global powerhouse in athletic footwear and apparel, Nike knows their consumers are picky about what their
products can do. You can apply this feature to your eCommerce website as well with an app and keep visitors on your
site for longer.

Easy Shopping:
You should not complicate your website when offering products. Easy shopping should be there for the buyers to recognize their
fit in small time. Here‟s how Nike makes shopping quite easier for their consumers-

Detailed product filters- For a website to work, things should be organized manner. For the ease of customer, there are various
filters for organizing the products including size, brand, type, material, technology, height, width, popularity, etc. By clicking on
them, the customer would be directed to the product of his/her own choice.

Advanced product recommendations-

Have you ever tried searching for a specific product and suddenly saw a range of similar products? Yes, that is called Advanced
product recommendation. When the website automatically suggests products of similar design, color, price range, etc. It helps
improve the shopping experience of customers.

Follow-up emails- Sending follow-up emails has become quite a tradition now. Just like everyone, Nike sends these emails to its
buyers. Their purpose is to re-communicate with the person they‟ve contacted before. The reason can be anything such as a
response to sign-ups, delivery, reviews, etc
#4 Loyalty program
In 2017, Nike‟s loyalty program had 100+ million members who spent almost three times more than guest buyers on
the website. With that information, Nike has constantly improved its rewards program, fine-tuning it into one of the
best loyalty programs in eCommerce.

The Nike loyalty program is a club where Nike customers or fans can receive exclusive benefits. Shoppers become a
member by signing up through the Nike website or any of their apps; the Nike app, Nike Training Club, Nike Run
Club, and SNKRS.

The benefits of the loyalty program includes:exclusive products, priority access to tickets to sporting events, early
access to product launches, rewards for being active through their apps, expert advice on training and exercise,, special
offers on birthdays and, even better, free delivery.

When members use the apps, their engagement score is reflected in the main Nike rewards app. Customers can then
scan the app in Nike stores and at Nike events to earn rewards while they attend.

Even though we are not in Nike‟s Development or Marketing team, we still can assume several resource as following:

 Trend analysis
 Attribution analysis
 Journey analysis

o Customer retention analysis Free Delivery

o Exclusive products and early access to new arrivals
o Priority access to tickets for sports events
o Expert advice on exercise and training
o Special offer on birthdays, etc



#5 Cunning follow-up emails

An email from Nike
Customer signing up for a membership is only a part of Nike‟s customer experience. More than that, the company
keeps their fanbase engaged and eager for more news thanks to the follow-up emails.

The emails serve as automated responses to many touch points during the customer journey, such as signup, reviews,
successful purchases, delivery, newsletters, holiday events, and more.

With these follow-up emails, customers can shop and check out Nike‟s events at ease, while being sure that they can
find all the necessary information in their inboxes. With a robust follow up email marketing app, your business can do
the same.

Learn more: How to Write a Follow-up Email? When & How to send a Follow-up email?

#6 Invest in product analytic

Nike is one of the businesses that put customers first - a phrase that you might hear several times. The company
depends on the customer behavior data collected from multiple sources to optimize their products and services.

”.
Instagram-
On Instagram, they enjoy good amount followers i.e. 241M. This is the only handle that remains a bit updated. On their handle,
they usually share posts relating their athletes wearing their apparel and footwear. What is prominent is that their posts are
always accompanied by inspiring captions. Also, they give updates about their new arrivals and provide links for the same. It
also focuses talks about the sustainable innovations of Nike.

Facebook-
Even on Facebook, they enjoy huge popularity with a total of 35M followers. Just like Instagram, even there they share athlete
posts wearing Nike and telling stories. Probably, it‟s the best way of marketing since they talk about everything without saying
anything about the brand. Furthermore, they introduce various wears on their Facebook page. Their posts mostly feature Roger
Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Twitter-
Coming to their Twitter handle, posts are mostly sports-centric with a few informing the new launches and asking the audience
to check out. To grab the attention quickly, they share short videos having macro shots of footwear. They even congratulate and
thank their athlete partners on various occasions. Plus, they have all sorts of conversations on Twitter. It is probably the best way
to collect feedback and revert to negative ones.

Personal Sales:
Personal selling is an effective method of making your customers buy the product. Nike often does personal selling in stores. For
this, they have a trained team helping the customers with whatever they want. The team is trained-well to provide information
(along with persuasion) about the brand. Since it improved the buyer‟s experience, it does personalized follow-up with the very
1st contact. Later on, they reach out to them via promotions or suggestions.
Collaborations:
They have collaborated with many celebrities around the world. Their celebrities are mostly famous sports personalities well-
known by the audience. To name a few, there is Tiger Woods, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, etc. These celebrities, when
packed in Nike‟s wear, are seen on all the social media handles of Nike promoting the brand in their own sports style.

Talking about influencers, Nike enjoys free marketing via them. It is evident from the number of videos you can see on youtube
reviewing their products. It doesn‟t have to sponsor them, thanks to Nike‟s affiliate program.

innovations
They are high on innovations and use technology extensively. In 2006, Nike developed an activity tracker i.e. Nike+iPod which
recorded the speed and distance of the user doing the workout. The sneakers had a sensor for recognizing them. This technology
shot sales up by 8.1% within the initial six months. Talking about another one, Nike once launched self-lacing shoes,
HyperAdapt 1.0. These shoes had a sensor that was automatically used to fold the laces after you‟ve stepped into the shoes.

Not only this, in 2012, they introduced a Flyknit technology. What was different about this? Well, usually the shoes are made up
of several pieces stitched together to make a shoe. Under FlyKnit technology, Nike utilized computer-directed „Knitting
technology‟ to design and shape the upper part of the shoe. The decrease in the number of parts made the shoes feel lighter and
still stronger as compared to rivalries. Inspired by the technology, Adidas and Skechers too launched the same technology-driven
shoes. These innovations keep Nike ahead of various companies. It attracts the consumers since they get fascinated by
advancements „never seen before‟.
Street Fashion

For the younger generation and people who lead active lifestyles, Nike developed an apparel line, taking
inspiration from the trends in street fashion. The company came up with innovative and trendy apparel,
including tracksuits, baseball caps, shell suits, compression shorts, socks, sweatpants, leggings and
sneakers.

Digital Items

The brand realized that even the technology it poured on the creation of its athletic shoes is not enough to
attract more customers. The company had to think of new things to offer to make Nike different from other
brands. This means moving away from the main business and creating something more appealing to
consumers. This led the company to focus on accessories for the athletes.
In May 2006 it launched the new gadget for the U.S. market – the Nike + iPod Sports Kit. The tool enables
the athlete to measure his/her speed and distance during a walk or a run. It was a very good collaboration
between Nike and iPod.
In 2008, Nike launched the Nike + Sportband Kit that could be directly connected to a computer to see the
results, which can be downloaded. In 2010, the brand introduced the
Nike + Sportwatch, which is also based on the original electronic chip that Nike developed initially for the
running/walking shoes.
These innovations made a huge impact on the market, providing a community of Nike users with millions of
members. The digital tools encourage not only athletes but other people who want to be athletes and those
who wish to have a more active lifestyle. Users share, compare and discuss their results from using the
different gadgets sold by Nike, helping the company reduce its spending on traditional advertising and
maintain brand awareness more effectively through the community. In the process, it brought the brand
closer to its consumers.

Top 10 Owners of Nike Inc

Shares Shares Total
Stockholder Stake owned Total value ($) bought / sold change

The Vanguard Group, Inc. 8.21% 103,447,352 11,347,140,041

BlackRock Fund Advisors 4.78% 60,164,456 6,599,439,179

 Shares Shares Total
Stockholder Stake owned Total value ($) bought / sold change

SSgA Funds Management, Inc. 4.39% 55,245,370 6,059,864,635

Wellington Management Co. LLP 2.64% 33,272,380 3,649,647,362

AllianceBernstein LP 1.79% 22,498,897 2,467,904,012

Geode Capital Management LLC 1.77% 22,228,113 2,438,201,715

T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (I... 1.28% 16,080,030 1,763,818,491

Northern Trust Investments, Inc.(... 1.18% 14,819,433 1,625,543,606

Fidelity Management & Research Co... 1.17% 14,741,531 1,616,998,535

Edgewood Management LLC 1.14% 14,367,995 1,576,025,372

Top 10 Mutual Funds Holding Nike Inc
Shares
Mutual fund Stake owned Total value

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index... 3.02% 38,097,321 4,178,895,140

Vanguard 500 Index Fund 2.30% 28,954,404 3,176,008,575

Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund 1.18% 14,854,326 1,629,371,019

SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust 1.11% 13,999,389 1,535,592,979

Fidelity 500 Index Fund 1.09% 13,712,596 1,504,134,655

iShares Core S&P 500 ETF 0.91% 11,490,169 1,260,356,638

Government Pension Fund - Global ... 0.88% 11,080,978 1,215,472,477

Vanguard Growth Index Fund 0.84% 10,602,256 1,162,961,461

 Shares
Mutual fund Stake owned Total value

Vanguard Institutional Index Fund 0.76% 9,551,852 1,047,742,646

884,204,399
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation In... 0.64% 8,060,939

Nike Competitors
Nike competitors include adidas, New Balance, Skechers U.S.A., Steve Madden and ASICS America. Nike ranks 1st in Overall
Culture Score on Comparably vs its competitors. See below how Nike compares to its competitors with CEO Rankings, Product
& Services, NPS, Pricing, Customer Services, Overall Culture Score, eNPS, Gender and Diversity Scores.

CEO Rank
2nd

eNPS Rank
1st

Gender Rank
2nd
 Diversity Rank
1st

Product Quality
1st

NPS Rank
1st

Pricing Rank
3rd

Customer Service
2nd
See Nike Culture vs Competitors:
 1st

Nike

73 / 100


 2nd

New Balance

72 / 100

3rd

adidas

70 / 100

4th

Skechers U.S.A.

66 / 100


5th

Steve Madden

55 / 100

6th

ASICS America

55 / 100

The top competitors include:

Brands Revenue Countries

Adidas 22.12 55
 Brands Revenue Countries

Puma 5.82 120

Under Armour 4.48 20

Skechers 4.6 170

Lululemon 4.4 17

Columbia Sportswear Co. 3.1 72

Asics 2.9 150

Reebok 1.57 170

Brooks 0.8 56

Gymshark 0.34 131

Nike has a mere 11% market share. with 161.23 billion
market capitalization
In 2022, Nike's global revenue amounted to about 46.71 billion
U.S. dollars, which is an increase of over two billion compared
to the previous financial year.
Adidas

With annual revenue of $22.12 billion, Adidas is the biggest competitor of Nike. The brand
actively serves across 55 countries via more than 2500 stores worldwide.

Founded in 1924 by Adolf Dassler and Rudolf Dassler, the brand is the largest sportswear
manufacturer in Europe and the second-largest globally. Headquartered
in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, the German multinational corporation designs and
manufactures shoes, clothing, and accessories.
Nike vs Adidas
Nike uses ZoomX technology foam made of lighter material like rubber, polyester, or cotton
that is much more responsive than any other material. This aids the momentum of the
runner.

Moreover, they have holes in toe caps which makes them breathable and hygienic.

However, with the mass production of their shoes, this quality has been deteriorating
considerably.

Whereas Adidas prioritises quality over quantity and focuses on customer satisfaction. It
uses heavier material than Nike and introduced a unique cushion technology compressed
under pressure. It provides better comfort and energy on every single stride.

Moreover, it also offers special toe padding for shock prevention and comfort.

Puma
With annual revenue of $5.82 billion, Puma ranks as the second most potent Nike
competitor. The brand is currently offering its products across 120 countries through 830+
owned stores.

Founded in 1948 by Rudolf Dassler after a split with his brother Adolf from the joint Dassler
shoe company Adidas, the brand emerged as the third-largest sportswear manufacturer
globally. It is a German multi corporation based in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, and
manufactures athletic and casual footwear, apparel and accessories.
Nike vs Puma
Nike creates a name by innovative technology use, stylish design, and supreme quality.
Nike offers itself as a luxury brand owing to its premium quality and extravagant marketing
through celebrities, football clubs, athletes, etc.

Whereas Puma shatters the myth that luxury is expensive. It provides a wide range of
products and even its signature products at a very affordable price. The brand offers itself
as luxury affordable by all and is famed for giving discounts and promotions to everyone.
They sell longevity and durability at reasonable prices to their customers.

Under Armour
With annual revenue of $4.48 billion, Under Armour ranks third in the list of Nike
competitors. The brand serves across 20 countries through efficient services in more than
15000 retail locations.

Founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank, the brand has emerged as a significant global player after
getting featured in Warner Brothers movies and the XFL football league’s debut, thus
gaining popularity worldwide. Based in Baltimore, Maryland, the American sports
equipment company manufactures footwear and sports and casual apparel.

Nike vs Under Armour

Nike is known for its expressive designs and the sheer variety in its models. It spends
hugely on the research and development of its products and creates out-of-the-box
colourway designs. Moreover, Nike offers a vast product catalogue in every category at a
high price.

Whereas Under Armour provides good-looking shoes with standard designs that are not
unusual. However, the brand matches the comfort and performance of Nike through its
offerings at a relatively lower price. Moreover, its growth in the apparel industry has even
outpaced the journey of Nike apparel.
Skechers

With annual revenue of $4.6 billion, Skechers ranks the fourth biggest competitor of Nike.
The brand serves across 170 countries and serves via 331 international stores, including
220 concept stores.

Founded in 1992 by Robert Greenberg, the brand has established itself as the third-largest
athletic footwear brand in the US. Headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California, the
American footwear brand offers a diverse range of lifestyle and performance brands like
D’Lites, Max Cushioning, Workout Walker, etc.

Nike vs Skechers
Nike provides a broader product portfolio offering, ranging from footwear to accessories,
apparel, eyewear, and even equipment. Moreover, Nike has cutting-edge designs and
exclusive shoe model offerings for which it charges a premium price.
Whereas Skechers has a limited product range and is prominently a footwear-dominated
brand.

It focuses more on comfort and relatively less on its footwear designs’ outward appearance,
style, and pomp.

Consequently, its offerings come at a relatively lower price.

Lululemon

With annual revenues of $4.4 billion, Lululemon ranks the fifth strongest competitor to Nike.
The brand serves across 17 countries through more than 491 stores worldwide.
Founded in 1998 by Chip Wilson, the American brand offers athletic wear, lifestyle apparel,
accessories, and personal care products. The brand also provides at-home fitness services
that add a competitive edge to its athletic products.

Nike vs Lululemon
Although both Nike and Lululemon have been on top of the athletic wear game.

Nike uses Dri-FIT technology through its athletic wear, guaranteeing total dryness during
sweaty workouts. Moreover, the smart V shape waistband provides comfort fit and stretch
fit to the body.

Whereas Lululemon offers a vast range of yoga and gym wear for high-intensity workouts,
curated with innovative Full-On Luxtreme fabric, uses soft, sweat-wicking, and boasts four-
way stretch for flexibility superior fit.

Columbia Sportswear Co.

With annual revenues of $3.1 billion, Columbia Sportswear Co. ranks the sixth biggest
competitor to Nike. The brand serves across 72 countries through 129 owned stores.

Founded in 1938 by Paul Lamfrom, the brand specialises in outerwear, sportswear,

footwear, headgear, camping equipment, ski apparel, and other outerwear accessories.

Nike vs Columbia Sportswear Co.

Nike’s flagship product is its footwear. The company specialises in manufacturing shoes for
a wide variety of sports, including football, basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, hockey,
snowboarding, etc.

Whereas Columbia Sportswear Co. is known for its outdoor apparel and footwear range
curated with innovative, high-quality gear suited for different activities, seasons, and
locations. Besides, they’re a big name in skiwear and snow sports.
Asics

With annual revenues of $2.9 billion, Asics ranks as the seventh biggest competitor of Nike.
The brand serves across 150 countries with over 1900 stores, including 400 directly owned
shops.

Founded in 1949 by Kihachiro Onitsuka, the brand has been ranked among the top
performance footwear companies. Headquartered in Kobe, the Japanese multi corporation
produces sports equipment for a wide range of sports.

Nike vs Asics
Nike uses running on-air cushioning technology. The brand’s signature cushioning
technology is continuously optimising around it. Nike React Foam and Zoom X technology
are the product of this innovation, thereby catering to the comfort and protection of the
buyer.
Whereas Asics uses running on gel cushioning technology. Depending upon the model of
the shoe, pockets of gel can be found in the forefoot and heel to absorb shock and avoid
injuries. Additionally, the brand has also added a lightweight foam layer called FlyteFoam,
to increase the energy return while running.

Reebok

With annual revenues of $1.57 billion, Reebok ranks as the eighth biggest competitor of
Nike. The brand serves across 170 countries with 1327 concept stores operating
worldwide.

Founded in 1958 by Joseph Willian Foster, the brand was formerly known as J.W. Foster
and Sons. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, the brand is a fitness footwear and
clothing manufacturer.
Nike vs Reebok
Nike produces its shoes using synthetic materials like polyester and rubber coupled with
technologies of EVA form, Flynkit foams, Zoom X, etc. The lighter material thus used
makes them relatively fragile and less durable.

Whereas Reebok has originated as a brand for running shoes. Therefore, people prefer
Reebok as high quality, good-cushioned, comfortable, and durable running shoes modelled
for walking, jogging, and running.

Brooks

With annual revenues of $0.8 billion, Brooks ranks as the ninth biggest competitor of Nike.
The brand is across 60 countries with 170 owned serving stores worldwide.

Founded in 1914 by John Brooks Goldenberg, the brand’s shoes have been named “Best
Women’s Running Shoe” and “Best Winter Running Shoe” by publications including
Runner’s World. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the American sports equipment
company designs and markets high-performance men’s and women’s sneakers, clothing,
and accessories.
Nike vs Brooks
Nike shoes favour skin-fitting or body-hugging fits. Therefore these responsive fits may
create some pressure points, especially if the user has a wide forefoot. However, narrow-
footed athletes prefer Nike.

Whereas Brooks shoes are often true to size. Moreover, they also offer a customised wider
fit to suit the needs of its users. Compared to Nike, Brooks offers a wider than average toe
box that gives a comfortable fit to the users.

Gymshark

With annual revenues of $0.34 billion, Gymshark ranks as the tenth most powerful brand
against Nike. The brand serves across 131 countries through 14 online stores.

Founded in 2012 by Ben Francis and Lewis Morgan, the British brand specialises in fitness
apparel and accessories.
Nike vs Gymshark
Nike has an elaborate discounting policy. They offer email discounts, essential work
discounts, birthday discounts, nurse discount policies coupled with loyalty programs. It also
offers modification and cancellation policies for its purchase transactions but does not offer
international shipping policies. Whereas Gymshark does not offer exclusive category
discounts. However, it offers two active coupon codes for every purchaser and has
international shipping policies.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mark Parker - President and CEO, NIKE, Inc.
Charlie Denson - President, Nike Brand, NIKE, Inc.
Maria Eitel - President and CEO, Nike Foundation
Howard Taylor - Managing Director, Nike Foundation
Collette Hemmings - Chief Operating Officer, Nike Foundation
Caroline Whaley - General Manager, Creative Development, Nike Foundation
Stuart Hogue - General Manager, Girl Hub, Nike Foundation
Don Blair - Executive VP and CFO, NIKE, Inc.
Jennifer Buffett - Co-Chair, NoVo Foundation
Peter Buffett - Co-Chair, NoVo Foundation
Gary DeStefano - President, Global Operations, NIKE, Inc.
Trevor Edwards - Executive VP, Global Brand & Category Management, NIKE, Inc.
Hannah Jones - VP, Sustainable Business & Innovation, NIKE, Inc.
Hilary Krane - Executive VP, Legal and Corporate Affairs, NIKE, Inc.
John Donahoe
CEO / President
John Donahoe serves as the CEO / President of Nike.

Andy Champion
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
As Chief Operating Officer for NIKE, Inc., Andy Campion leads global technology and digital transformation, consumer...

Hilary Krane
EVP, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER & GENERAL COUNSEL
Hilary Krane brings global expertise in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, brand protection, and government...

Monique Matheson
EVP, CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER
Monique Matheson oversees and drives the strategic global Human Resources strategy for NIKE, Inc. As Chief Human...

Heidi O'neil
PRESIDENT, CONSUMER AND MARKETPLACE
As President, Consumer and Marketplace, Heidi O'Neill is responsible for Nike‟s Direct business, including all stores,...

John Donahoe
PRESIDENT & CEO
Mr. Donahoe is President and Chief Executive Officer of NIKE and has been a director since 2014. He joined NIKE in...

Matthew Friend
EVP & CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Matthew Friend, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, joined NIKE in 2009 as Senior Director of...

Environmental record
Sulfur hexafluoride
Sulfur hexafluoride is an extremely potent and persistent greenhouse gas that was used to fill the cushion
bags in all "Air"-branded shoes from 1992 to 2006. 277 tons was used during the peak in 1997

Recycling Nike has also been praised for its Nike Grind program, which closes the product lifecycle, by
groups such as Climate Counts.

Since 1993, Nike has worked on its Reuse-A-Shoe program.[143] This program is Nike's longest-running
program that benefits both the environment and the community by collecting old athletic shoes of any type
in order to process and recycle them. The material that is produced is then used to help create sports
surfaces such as basketball courts, running tracks, and playgrounds.[143] Nike France made their Reuse-A-Shoe
program available online so that they could make it easier for consumers to send in their old shoes. [144] In
2017, it was estimated that 28,000,000 shoes were collected since its start in 1993. Nike limited the mail-in
option of the program because they are aware that the emissions from shipping would offset the good, they
are trying to do. They work with the National Recycling Coalition to help limit transportation of recycled
shoes. During transportation most of the vehicles that are used are using diesel or fuel oil. [145] Diesel oil emits
22.44 pounds of Carbon Dioxide per gallon.

A campaign that Nike began for Earth Day 2008 was a commercial that featured basketball star Steve
Nash wearing Nike's Trash Talk Shoe, which had been constructed in February 2008 from pieces of leather
and synthetic leather waste from factory floors. The Trash Talk Shoe also featured a sole composed of
ground-up rubber from a shoe recycling program. Nike claims this is the first performance basketball shoe
that has been created from manufacturing waste, but it only produced 5,000 pairs for sale.
Water pollution
In July 2011, environmental group Greenpeace published a report regarding water pollution impacting the Yangtze River
emitted from a major textile factory operated by Nike supplier Youngor Group Following the report, Nike, as well as Adidas
, Puma, and a number of other brands included in the report announced an agreement to stop discharging hazardous
chemicals by 2020. However, in July 2016 Greenpeace released a follow-up report which found that Nike "does not take
individual responsibility" for eliminating hazardous chemicals, stating that Nike had not made an explicit commitment to riding
itself of perfluorinated compounds , and that "Nike does not ensure its suppliers report their hazardous chemical discharge
data and has not made a commitment to do so"
Back in 2016 Nike started to use water free dyeing materials so that they can help reduce their water use in their Southeast
Asian factories.
Partnership with Newlight
In 2021, Nike announced they were working with Newlight Technologies to find more eco-friendly materials for their sneakers.
They specifically mentioned Newlight’s AirCarbon product which is a bioplastic that can be used to make shoes. The bioplastic
is used as a replacement to leather, plastic, and other materials that are like that. Newlight was reported saying that the goal is
to reduce Nike’s carbon footprint.

Investments
Number of Investments 8

Number of Lead Investments 4

Nike has made 8 investments. Their most recent investment was on Jul 20, 2022, when Pensole Lewis College raised $3M.
 Announced Date Organization Name Lead Investor Funding Round Money Raised

Jul 20, 2022 Yes $3M

Pensole Lewis College Grant - Pensole Lewis College

Feb 3, 2022 — $75M

WNBA Enterprises Funding Round - WNBA Enterprises

Dec 2, 2021 Yes $500K

All Star Code Grant - All Star Code

Oct 14, 2021 — —

The SpringHill Company Private Equity Round - The SpringHill

 Announced Date Organization Name Lead Investor Funding Round Money Raised

Company

Nov 20, 2019 Yes —

HandsFree Labs Corporate Round - HandsFree Labs

Mar 4, 2014 Yes $8M

Reflektion Series A - Reflektion

Oct 7, 2013 No $6M

Grabit Inc. Series A - Grabit Inc.

 Announced Date Organization Name Lead Investor Funding Round Money Raised

Jan 4, 2011 — $500K

Rock Health Grant - Rock Health