Written by Kianna Best on Sep 10, 2024. Posted in Production News

Nike’s marketing shift propels brand into new era

The brand synonymous with the Just Do It tag line has witnessed a major marketing shift over the past few months with new campaign. Nike’s “Winning Isn’t for Everyone” campaign took off for a sports filled summer, starting the journey to regaining their leading position in the sports brand space.

2024 has provided some of the most electrifying sports moments, from Andy Murray’s final Wimbledon appearance to the return of the Olympics in Paris 100 years on from its first arrival. Nike have latched on appropriately to the fan fare surrounding the world’s best athletes, featuring many familiar faces for a film narrated by Willem Defoe. Nike athletes including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, LeBron James, Sha’Carri Richardson, Vini Jr., Serena Williams, Qinwen Zheng and A’ja Wilson feature in the film which debuted on 19 July.

The first roll out was followed on a 25 August with a film titled Winning is Winning, narrated by Bebe Vio and starring athletes Markus Rehm, Beatriz Hatz, Núria Marquès, Jetze Plat, Léon Schäfer, Diede de Groot, Ixhelt González, Noah Malone, Niels Vink, Charles-Antoine Kouakou, and Alexis Hanquinquant. The centering of the campaign around winning, highlights the relentless nature of the world’s best athletes featured in the films, as well as reflecting the superiority of Nike amongst its competitors.

Nike had however witnessed a critical slow down period, as it revealed plans to cut 1600 roles earlier this year in an effort to make GBP 1.6 billion in cost savings. This announcement was swiftly followed by shares plunging 20%, making it the biggest single day drop in the stock’s history. This stumble in the brand’s history of success has been met with a proactive change in messaging, with this campaign, as well as new moves in marketing.

Last month, the brand also formed a partnership with LEGO Group, blending the worlds of sport and play. With IP crossover a trend visible across multiple industries, this partnership, set to begin next year, will produce co-branded products, content as well as experiences for consumers, appealing to the whole family across generations. The partnership joins many other cross-brand alliances such as Apple Watch and Hermes bringing the world of technology and luxury fashion, as well as Louis Vuitton and Supreme, bringing the luxury brand to the streetwear market.

Image courtesy of Nike