Nike Golf Marketing Strategies Essay

NIKE Inc. has been the worldwide leader of athletic shoe sales for many years now. The company’s successful brand image combined competition and enablement for the competitive, athletic user. Nike has to modify their brand to a focus of excitement and freedom and not just competitiveness. By collecting and studying an assortment of material we could be able to understand where NIKE is currently placed in the athletic shoe industry compared to their competition, and how they will be able to adjust their brand focus so it can be more effective in the future. These adjustments can help NIKE reach the more casual group of urban runners and ultimately increase the sales forecasts, while still controlling a percentage of the market for athletic shoes.

Nike is considered to be a leading athletic footwear manufacturer, which makes up over 30 percent and 50 percent of global and US market share respectively. In order to reach customers’ demands and get profits, Nike has executed/implemented a number of marketing strategies. This essay will examine Nike’s key strategies from1962 to 2009. The most essential marketing strategy called “Pyramid of influence” was expressed by Product, Place and Promotion strategies throughout targeting on athletes, sportsmen and sports loving consumers.

Nike is the world’s single largest producer of sporting wear, clothing, shoes and accessories. An Oregon based company founded in 1972 by Phillip H. Knight and William J. Bowerman. Nike’s broad range of products is the key to it’s success, it’s range includes Nike Skateboarding, Nike Golf, Nike Pro, Nike +, Nike Air Jordan and owns other big names such as surf brand Hurley; shoe manufacturer Cole Haan; and two large sports companies – Converse and Umbro. Having such huge sponsorship contracts with many of the world’s biggest athletes and sports teams, these huge profiles are simply another outlet for Nike to promote their products. Nike currently employs over 31,000 people

Skey says, “They clearly have a strong and emotional brand for young people.” Her quote benefits the idea of the use of emotional connections with their audience in the advertisements Nike uses. Leonard states in the Shoes, Diplomas, And The American Dream article that “Nike does have a message to market. The company is selling high-school and college athletes the prospect of not just a career but a future.” It is also stated in the article that people are “Willing to invest – to bet on – the future because of the seductive allure of the American dream” (Leonard). The products Nike sells can assist in the success of an athlete due to the use of the product. If a runner was to use crappy shoes, they may lack in their abilities due to the poor quality of the shoes. Another point is that if one is successful with a Nike product, they would stay with that product or upgrade when a better quality of the product by the same company, Nike, comes out. When success is found within one company, a customer is more likely to stay within the company product

In this paper, we present an elaborate analysis of the marketing mix employed by Nike in its marketing strategy. The marketing mix is conducted on the basis of the concept of "marketing mix" which is usually referred to as the "4Ps" as an important means of effectively interpreting as well as translating the marketing strategy into practice as noted by Bennett (1997).A recommendation is also provided.

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.

However for people in the 30 to 50 years old group, they don’t worship celebrities too much. The advertising can be focused on Nike’s brand identity and long history as well as great achievement, showing Nike’s brand personality of bravery and venturing spirit. For example: in the golf sector, Nike would sell not shoes but the athletic ideals of determination, individuality, self-sacrifice and winning.

Nike, Inc. is a sporting goods and apparel company founded by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight in 1972. Nike, being a world-wide phenomenon, has “more than 35,000 employees across six continents and in more than 160 countries around the globe. Through our suppliers, shippers, retailers and other service providers, we directly or indirectly employ nearly one million people” (Nike, Inc.). All this is done to help Nike fulfill their goal to “carry on [Bill Bowerman’s] legacy of innovative thinking, whether to develop products that help athletes of every level of ability reach their potential, or to create business opportunities that set Nike apart from the competition and provide value for our shareholders” (Nike, Inc.). Ultimately,

Nike considers their structure a “Matrix Organization” (Nikebiz.com, 2010). This structure allows Nike to deal with the fast-moving market and keep their industry leading position. It can be costly, but has proven to be well worth the money for Nike. All work is collaborative; team members report to two areas; known as, geography and the global function area (Nikebiz.com, 2010).

Around the world, people of all cultures are increasing their participation in fitness activities. All are motivated by the common desire for athletic and personal excellence. Nike, a simple sneaker company to many newspaper readers is transforming into an international consumer products company. The payoff from overcoming all these challenges can be seen in our 1991 international growth of 80 percent to $862 million in revenues. Nike is the famous franchises in the world that sells sportwear for all ages.nike is also one of the major manufacturers of sport equipment but it is the most famous for their athletic shoes and apparel.

Nike invested in their brand by getting sports heroes to advertise for their brand such as Michael Jordon, Tiger Woods and the Brazilian football team. This further fuel the products appeal towards the consumers.

As their products are not so different, Nike differentiated itself by creating and marketing well designed athletics and non-athletic footwear and clothing. The company managed to distinguish and establish its products by using a different marketing approach from its competitors and by improving its brand identity and consumer awareness. However, in 2006, its two rivals merged to get a 22% market share while Nike had 36%. The organisation, then, developed a new strategy to get ahead its rivals. They coupled sport icons such as Michal Jordan to endorse the brand and it was such a success that they decided to use Tiger Woods, the no.1 golf player, to introduce its new golf apparel and equipment. The association of a motivational slogan "Just Do It" with athletes that emphasize competition, fitness and sportsmanship, helped the company to position its product on the market as being of high-quality. The advantage Nike has is the competitors' incapacity of replicating its quality products and benefits. Moreover, the company is always trying to introduce new product in the market which help them staying ahead while giving a positive

1. A decision to retain an in-house arm of agency Weiden & Kennedy by Nike exemplify the concept of organizational design by allowing Nike use the agency’s creative designers to focus solely on Nike work, giving them un-parallel access to executives, researchers and anyone else who might provide Nike advertisers with their next inspiration for marketing greatness before listening to any other organization. Having the agency in the building is having them at their disposal at anytime they need them and also the agency will have to consider them first incase of any new ad or good idea discovered by the agency or when Nike needs to salvage a problem with the help of the agency. Thus, the agency at their finger-tips serves great advantages

Competition is very fierce due to the number of companies competing for sales. Lots of money goes to marketing and promotions using various channels to reach the young demographic group of consumers who spend the most money on Nike’s products. Growth is slowing down in the athletic footwear industry. But new markets are emerging with high growth rates. These markets include extreme sports market and the corporate merchandise market.

As the political situation is stable, so its better for business to invest money in securely. In that case, there is no political bad affect in Nike business in the united kingdom.