Promotion Of Nike Vs. Adidas

PROMOTION!

NIKE

Nike is the world's #1 manufacturer and marketer of athletic footwear and apparel. Almost out of the blue, the company established itself as one of the world's most familiar brands during the 1980s and 1990s.and now 2000s. As familiar as a Coke bottle or Big Mac, the Nike "swoosh" logo came to symbolize not just sports culture, but street culture, as the appeal of the star players who endorsed the brand was carried onto city streets. Nike is undisputed leader in sports-oriented street wear. “Advertising Age estimated global measured advertising expenditure of $308 million in 2006, making Nike the world's #89 advertiser (http://www.mind-advertising.com/us/nike_us.htm).”

Nike has been using the same logo ever since they established the famous swoosh. The swoosh logo is a graphic design created by Caroline Davidson in 1971. It represents the wing of the Greek Goddess Nike. Caroline Davidson was a student at Portland State University in advertising. She met Phil Knight while he was teaching accounting classes and she started doing some freelance work for his company. Phil Knight asked Caroline to design a logo that could be placed on the side of a shoe. She handed him the swoosh, he handed her $35.00. In spring of 1972, the first shoe with the Nike swoosh was introduced (from Nike Consumer Affairs packet, 1996). Not only does Nike have one of the famous logo, Nike also has one of the most famous slogans around: “Just Do It!” According to Nike company lore, it was coined at a 1988 meeting of Nike’s ad agency Wieden and Kennedy and a group of Nike employees. Dan Weiden, speaking admiringly of Nike’s can-do attitude, reportedly said, “You Nike guys, you just do it.” Then the brilliant slogan came about. Nike continues to lure customers with a marketing strategy centering around a brand image which is attained by th distinctive logo and advertising slogan.

It is my belief that Nike's power to sell comes from deep-rooted desire for cultural inclusiveness and individual athletic accomplishment. These desires collide in consumer’s hearts and minds and produce the unyielding urge; “the got to have them,” or “can’t do without them” for Nike shoes and apparel. Nike appeals to these disparate elements of Americans' personalities through an advertising philosophy that is, at once, simple and sublime. In addition, Nike's practice of top-level athletes promoting their products appeal to countless ages and acts as a way to identify with and emulate their athletic heroes.