Nike was founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports and became Nike, Inc. in 1971. It focused on high quality running shoes designed by athletes for athletes. Nike's first success came from signing Michael Jordan in 1985 and marketing the Air Jordan basketball shoe line. Nike dominated sports markets by sponsoring athletes, hosting large events, and airing effective ad campaigns like "Just Do It." While Nike's strategy of innovative products and athlete endorsements provided advantages, it also faced increasing competition and costs associated with developing new products and marketing.

1. The amazing story
of NIKE

3. When did Nike originate?
Founded in 1964, as Blue Ribbon Sports, by Bill
Bowermann and Phil Knight and officially became Nike, Inc. on May
30, 1971.
Company’s main focus was on providing
HIGH quality running shoes designed for
ATHLETES by ATHLETES

4. How and where did it taste it
first success?
Nike believed in a ‘pyramid of influence’ in which the
preferences of a small percentage of top athletes
influenced the product and brand choices of others.

5. First breakthrough came
when they signed up then
rookie Michael Jordon in
1985 and marketed its Air
Jordon line of basketball
shoes

6. • 1988 : Nike aired the first ads in its $20 million
“Just Do It” campaign.
• Used segmentation strategies to promote its
brand overseas in Europe.
• Nike tried to penetrate into the overseas
markets by deeply involving with the target
segments.

7. How did Nike dominate sports
market and left its competitors
behind?

8. 1. Campaigns
Nike teamed up with seven time Tour
de Fance Champion to sell Nike
products and help him with the
campaign

9. 2.Endorsements
Endorsing sportspersons who carry
the symbol of victory

10. 3. EVENTS
Huge event
which drew
780,000
participants
from all
over the
world in
2008!

11. 4. Ads

12. 5. Acquisitions

14. What are the pros, cons and
risks associated with Nike’s core
marketing strategy?

15. • Superior and innovative products
• Endorsing the right Sportspersons
• Proper Segmentation
Pros

16. Cons and Risks
• Ever increasing
competition
• Huge number of fake
products
• Huge expenditure in
marketing of new products

17. If you were ADIDAS,
how would you compete
with NIKE?

19. • Target into areas in which Nike is weaker, for
example, emerging markets and create high
brand equity.
• Price compete directly with Nike, keep prices a
bit lower than Nike for similar products
• Bring products diversity
• Effective use of ads and social media to
market the products

20. Summary
• When and how Nike was established
• How did Nike capture the markets around the
world
• The two important questions related to Nike

21. Disclaimer
Created by Gaurav Bansal, during a marketing
internship by Prof Sameer Mathur, IIM Lucknow