Marketing Management - Nike Case Study

Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight started Nike Inc. in 1971, formally known as Blue Ribbon Sports. Bill Bowerman was a former track and field coach at the University of Oregon, and Phil Knight was a student-athlete at the University of Oregon. After numerous years of supplying under Blue Ribbon Sports, the two decided to enter the athletic shoe manufacturing business. The first employee of the company was Jeff Johnson, who helped them with branding what is known today as NIKE Inc.

NIKE, Inc., is a company that was founded in by William Jay Bowerman and Philip H. Knight in 1964, and was originally called Blue Ribbon Sports, Inc. It’s name was changed to Nike, Inc. in 1971. It’s base of operation is located in Beaverton, Oregon. NIKE, Inc., is the world’s leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities worldwide. Entirely owned Nike subsidiaries include Converse Inc., a brand that develops, advertises, and sells athletic apparel and accessories; and also Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and sells surf and youth lifestyle clothing and many different accessories. Its athletic footwear products are designed primarily for specific athletic use, although a large percentage of the products are worn for casual or leisure purposes. Nike offers products in many different categories such as men’s/women’s training, running, basketball, golf, and more. The company also sells products designed for children and youth athletic activities such as baseball, cricket, lacrosse, outdoor activities, football, tennis, volleyball, walking, and wrestling. Also, Nike sells sports apparel and accessories; and markets apparel with licensed college and professional team and league logos. Further, it sells a line of performance equipment and accessories, including sports bags, balls, eyewear, digital devices, bats, gloves, protective equipment, golf

Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight first started Nike on January 25th, 1964 but the name started out as Blue Ribbon Sports. They worked for a Japanese shoemaker called Onitsuka Tiger as merchandisers. Eventually Bill and Phil changed the name to Nike on May 30th, 1971. The company name Nike came from the ancient Greek goddess of victory (O’Reilly).

The company has launched the Nike products, which embody a love of sport, discipline, ambition, practice, and other athletic traits.

Nike is the leading and yet renowned supplier of athletic apparel and shoes. The company controls close to 33% of the global athletic shoe market (Dogiamis & Vijayashanker,2009).Nike was founded by Bill Power and Phil Knight in 1962 as a Blue Ribbon Support and then was later on renamed to Nike in the year 1968 (Patrow,2003).The company supplies very high quality product in close to 100 countries with major markets being located in the U.S,U,K, Asia Pacific as well as in the Americas. The company has managed to attain its lead and legendary position via the application of innovative and yet attractive product design which is backed by quality production as well as well crafted marketing strategies.

The aim of this paper is to use the “Nike - The art of selling air.” case study and concepts from strategic marketing theory to identify marketing challenges and how those challenges could be best addressed using marketing principles. The paper will:

NIKE, Inc. designs, develops, markets and sells footwear, apparel, and equipment, accessories and services. Its athletic footwear products are designed primarily for specific athletic use, although a large percentage of the products are worn for casual or leisure purposes. It focuses on NIKE Brand and Brand Jordan product offerings in seven key categories: running, basketball, football, men's training, women's training, NIKE sportswear, and action sports. It also markets product designed for kids, as well as for other athletic and recreational uses such as baseball, cricket, golf, lacrosse, outdoor activities, football, tennis, volleyball, walking, and wrestling.

Nike was founded in the year 1964 as blue ribbon sports and was first operated by a japanese shoemaker called Onitsuka tiger. The brand became officially nike in 1971. The brand was created by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight. The brand started to become bigger. In 1979 nike introduced Nike-Air cushioning to their shoes. In 1985 a young NBA rookie of the year signs with Nike. Air Jordan was born. That helped Nike really start to make money.

Phil Knight and his track-and-field coach Bill Bowerman found one of the world’s well-known sports brand, Nike in 1964. With the beginning of Nike first “office” being the laundry room of Knight’s family home it has now become the biggest sports and fitness company in the world with international recognition. The vision statement of Nike as an organization was to think ahead in the long term and not to simply focus and be content with the present as described by Tom Clarke, chief executive of Nike.

Product may be defined as goods-and-services combination the company offers to the target that might satisfy a want or need. That is why Nike Company offers a wide range of products including shoes, apparel and equipment. The products in Nike's marketing mix are focused on high quality and wide variety of goods for sports enthusiasts and motivate a healthy lifestyle for maximized consumers' satisfaction. It is the market leader in sportswear industry and derives its maximum revenue from sale of sport shoes. It offers great variety of products including special type of shoes for every category of sports such as for lifestyle, running, basketball, football, soccer, training & gym, skateboarding, baseball/softball, golf, tennis, track

Nike was established in 1957 by a coach and an athlete. The two went on to establish the most successful footwear company in the world. Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight are the two founders.“The company arrived at the name from the Greek Goddess of victory”

NIKE, Inc. is a multinational corporation, found in 1965 as Blue Ribbon Sports by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight. It is headquartered at Beaverton, Oregon, US. Nike works to design, develop, manufacture, market and sell apparel, footwear, equipment, accessories and services. BRS was renamed Nike in 1971.

Nike, Inc. has been the world’s leading innovator and provider in athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for 50 years. Their mission has been to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world; if you have a body, you are an athlete. Arguably one of the most innovative companies in the world, Nike has built its brand into an iconic world-class powerhouse that continues to dominate the market with no signs of slowing up. Nike’s marketing and advertising have been breakthrough, aspirational, and legendary over the years, featuring high-profile athletes and heroes.

Nike, the world’s leading supplier of athletic shoes and apparel, was the birth-child of University of Oregon coach Bill Bowerman and runner Phil Knight. Founded in January 25, 1964 the company was originally named Blue Ribbon Sports and was a distributor for Japanese shoemaker Onitsuka Tiger. The company truly came from humble beginnings as Knight sold their products from his car during track meets.

Nike began as an enterprise in Oregon with its founder, sports enthusiast Phil Knight. In 1962, Nike started under the name Blue Ribbon Sports. During this time, the athletic shoe industry was dominated by the Adidas and Puma companies. Knight recognized there was segment of serious athletes that had specialized needs that were not being addressed by the major companies.