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4 Reimagine the game
Nike is pushing the boundaries of sports into the digital realm so it can serve the next generation of players. In 2006, Nike entered the tech arena by introducing a Nike + iPod sports kit. The smart gadget, which measured the distance and speed of a run or walk, was the most technologically advanced portable device for athletes. A small chip, serving as a wireless sensor for the iPod, was inserted in the shoe. This smart product evolved into a band, later into a watch (in cooperation with TomTom), and is now a running application on your iPhone that uses the phone's accelerometer to track routes and instant results.
Since then, Nike has been pioneering how 'to sell the lifestyle' can work just as effectively in the digital world as it does in the real world. Social media, mobile communications, e-commerce and in-store experiential technology have been integral to Nike's strategy for many years. More recently, it has moved into the excitement around new concepts such as the metaverse, NFTs, web3 and Artificial intelligence (AI).
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With these new technologies, Nike is able to continuously create an unbelievable experience and, in turn, accrue an ever-deeper understanding of its customers' wants and needs, no matter what sub-culture, moment or niche.
A DEVOTED TEAM FOR DIGITAL PRODUCTS & SPACES
More and more, Nike is starting to refer to itself as a tech-driven company. In 2016, Nike purchased Virgin Mega to start its own in-house digital agency under the name S23NYC. Having a devoted team with these new digital skills helps Nike to better cater to creators at the intersection of sports, creativity, and gaming culture.
The goal of this team is to boost Nike's digital transformation by means of cuttingedge digital initiatives, as well as to launch an aggressive direct-to-consumer strategy. The SNKRS app was one of their initial projects, and it has grown exponentially since it was launched. Slowly, the digital team has been growing due to the acquisition of different start-ups (such as the Tel Aviv-based Intervex, with its augmented reality solution to measure body metrics).
