Nike: The 166.2 billion dollar company, for the people?
Nike, the global brand everyone has heard of and even most likely owns, the sportswear giant worth $116.2 billion who’s presence is unmatched with, the billion dollar company who’s name rings bells across the world, but what is it about their digital presence that has this affect?
Nike’s main Instagram page has accumulated over 269M followers, a feat most companies and A-list celebs can only dream of. With over 1000 posts with high engagement, fans of the brand definitely recognise its online presence. You can still be popular but that doesn’t mean your consumers HAVE to engage with you online, right? When it comes to what the consumer chooses to do in their free time, their must be a reason why they interact with the brand.
One reason for this is Nike’s stand on social justice.
As a global brand, Nike taking a stand on hate crime is highly influential which many of their consumers as well as non consumers may appreciate. Especially as a minority in the Black and Asian community, this changes your perception of the brand from one that you enjoy wearing, to a brand that really cares for you.
In a world of division, Nike stands as a pillar of unity and togetherness, bringing people all over the world together through their interest of the brand rather than their differences. With the majority of Nikes U.S staff now being of ethnic minorities (52%), Nike has a clear stand on equality. For this reason, Nike isn’t just a brand that sells appealing products- but consumers love Nike for what they stand for.
But is Nike really the brand they show us to be or is this all a way to promote a false positive brand image?
In the late 1990s/ early 2000s, Nike was accused of running multiple sweatshops in south east Asia where working conditions were poor to say the least. Workers earned drastically below a sufficient wage earning just 14 cents an hour- barely enough for essentials. As much as Nike promotes equality and diversity, to what extent are these real values and is Nike really for the people?
As expected, Nike also has a huge presence on twitter as well with many accounts dedicated to the all of Nike’s niches. This way fans of the brand can interact and engage on a deeper level where their specific interests are catered for.
Through these niche accounts Nike are also able to draw in more attention through their roster of influencers whom they endorse. Lebron James to Cristiano Ronaldo, Nike are able to gain the interest and respect of fellow football and basketball fans alike, ultimately creating a brand that appeals to huge audiences. This way, Nike are able to solidify their fanbase by pushing out specialised content that will be valuable to their different audiences. When scrolling on your timeline, who doesn’t like to see content catered specifically for them!
