Abstract

The case discusses the elements of Nike’s marketing strategy. The roots of Nike, one of the most popular brands in the world, can be traced back to the 1960s, when Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman collaborated to provide American runners with better quality running shoes. With insufficient money to indulge in formal advertising, the partners resorted to selling shoes at local track meets from the backs of trucks. Growing from such humble beginnings, Nike’s marketing strategy became one of most successful marketing stories in the world of business. The company was especially known for its well recognized ‘swoosh’ logo and strong punch lines. The case also discusses the criticisms leveled at Nike on account of its marketing strategies.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Early marketing efforts of a highly successful sports-goods company.

Keywords

Nike Inc, Phil Knight, Reebok, Nike's marketing strategy, Michael Jordan, Personal marketing, EKINs, Marketing pyramid, Pyramid and reference group strategies, Celebrity endorsements, Tiger Woods, Andre Agassi, Advertisement strategy, Customisation, NIKEiD