needs of their customers. Realizing that society
is moving away from looking for products that
just meet physical needs into wanting products
that connect with them emotionally, Nike used
that understanding to grow sales. At the time this
campaign was launched, Nike was almost head to
head with its arch rival Adidas in terms of sales,
with Adidas reporting slightly higher sales than
Nike in the previous months.
The lesson is to offer customers the things they
have known and liked for many years, synergized
into their new way of thinking, delivered through
a personality they would trust and empathize with
and allow them to shape their own experience
with the information you give them.
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Don’t mind the mess,
we just polishing our new look.
This campaign can also teach us that brands need
to tailor messaging for non-traditional customers
to enhance loyalty. Everybody knows Nike, most
people have owned a Nike product. However, over
the years, Nike has made changes to their products
to fit into the lives of their customers. Their shoes
for example have a device that allows you to
connect to your phone and access online fitness
training plans and other lifestyle advantages.
Most people still use the traditional Nike products
that are not tailored to their personal lifestyle or
health needs, but Nike found a key target market
that they could tap into. A segment that they
had long ignored, and competitors were also not
catering for. This not only earned them money in
the pocket but a loyal group of customers.
When they unveiled Kaepernick as their brand
ambassador, some customers said they would
never move from Nike because they cannot get
any other brand of trainers with a fitness sensor as
good as Nike’s.
In parting, it’s important to look at what your
customers are consuming. If your product is not
hitting home or is no longer as exciting for your
customers, then explore other alternatives, look at
the needs of your customer and offer your brand as
the solution to that gap. It does not always need
to be a rebrand or a shift in your offering, or the
development of a new product; it can just be one
step closer into your customer’s heart. Granted, it
will cause some controversy or discomfort but it
may also mean a growth in revenue.
Carolyne Gathuru is the founder and director of
strategy at LifeSkills Consulting. She has several
years of experience in customer experience
strategy development and training. You can
commune with her on this or related issues via
mail at: [email protected].
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