Nike Free Case Study

Explain how Nike researches and develops new products. 

Nike uses their state of the art research facility in Portland, Oregon in USA called Nike Sports Research Laboratory (NRSL). This is where they use athletes to testy their products and they can record result of the performance in the aspects such as athletes movements, breathing patterns, wear and tear of the human body and thermal scanning while the athletes are participating in particular sporting activities. They also use video recordings in high quality video with slow motion on multiple video angles. Nike also takes feedback from their athletes to make sure that the consumer using their products are getting everything they could possibly ask for in a product when purchasing Nike products. Once all the research is conducted, they relay the information to the “Nike Kitchen” in order to produce a prototype product in which they then bring back to the testing facilities until the product is at the highest level of performance possible.

Develop a flow diagram to illustrate the research undertaken using athletes and high-tech instruments by Nike's Kitchen to develop Nike Free.

Identify the methods used by Nike to test Nike Free.

Nike began testing their new Nike Free product by undertaking very in depth independent testing. A large group of 110 everyday runners consisting of elite athletes and some general public conducted a six month testing trial. The large group was broken into 2 smaller groups with one group wearing their regular running shoe and the other wearing the Nike Frees. Both groups were tested at the beginning of the trial period and at the end to test their qualities like speed, development, coordination and optimal speed. At the end of the period, the group that used their normal running shoes collectively showed slight improvements in some qualities but the group that used the Nike free shoes showed improvements in every aspect with a significant 10-20 percent. Nike referred to the Frees as a “gym for your feet”.

You are a sales assistant in a Niketown store. Discuss the internet-based training you underwent to ensure that you fully understand all the features of Nike products, especially Nike Free. 

As a Nike sales assistant in a Niketown store, I would have undergone ashore online training course called “Nike Sports Knowledge Underground” in which a flash media is designed to inform employees on the nike products including Nike Free. At the end of the course, a test is set in place to evaluate the employees knowledge of the product as well as a sheet of the detailed specs on the product.

Discuss the look and feel of the Nike Free website and identify how this, and the content of the website, complements Nike's overall mission.

The mission that the whole brand of Nike is “ To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world”. This mission statement is portrayed in the Nike Free portion of the website by showing that the Nike Free shoe can be used by any form of athlete and can cater to each any every persons likes and needs. The wide variety of colors and designs provide anyones taste to be converted into their running shoe. They also make the website simple to navigate by having all the designs in large boxes in the center of the page where the user can click the design they want to explore which then opens up to a more in depth explanation of each design.

Assume you are making a presentation on Nike Free to the local sporting club. Illustrate the benefits that runners will gain when using Nike Free for training. 

The benefits that an athlete can gain when using Nike Free shoes are exactly what any athlete would need. The weight of the shoe is at the lightest end of the running shoe market alone with a higher durability. The Nike Free is proven that it enhances the strength in the users ankle and feet while having a larger range of flexibility.

Nike Free is a shoe designed to give runners the feeling and benefits of running in bare feet. However, the idea of running in bare feet could be seen as a contradiction to the foundation stone of Nike, the world's leading athletic shoe company. You are the Marketing Manager of Nike. Explain how a 'barefoot' shoe will complement Nike's shoe range. What are the benefits the shoe gives runners?

Although running barefoot is not ideal for a runner it is something that could be considered the most comfortable way to run if done on a soft surface. The Nike Free gives the comfort that barefoot running can give while improving strength and performance of the runners ankles and feet.

Examine Nike's website. Study how the site is set out and each link within the site.

a) Look at the use of colours and images used in the website. What is the image that these colours and images seek to promote?

The image that the variety of colors and images seek to promote is the fact that there is a nike shoe for everyone in the world. No matter someones preference in shoes, Nike is able to make a product that is customized to the preference of the consumer with little downtime. 

b) How is the Nike swoosh logo used?

The Nike swoosh logo is used to personalise the company into a lifestyle. It is used to make every aspect of the Nike consumer relationship to be a part of a joint lifestyle that anyone who uses the product or has any association with the company is a part of. 

c) What is the difference between marketing and advertising?

Marketing is used to associate the product of the company to a lifestyle and what things are possible when the company’s products are present. It promotes the opportunities involved with the products or services and explores what the consumer is interested in. Advertising is used to connect the consumers with the product directly and how it will improve the consumers life. 

d) Give examples of how Nike uses its website for marketing and advertising.

The Nike Kobe Bryant and Lebron James shoes are forms of marketing to the public by using professional athletes to show that their product is the best there is. The consumer would see that if the shoe is worthy of Kobe or Lebron to wear that it might make them play basketball a little bit more like them. 

Nike uses this photo as a way to advertise to the consumer showing that their shoe is able to perform in any sort of terrain, which a golfer would look for in a golf shoe.