WHO IS WINNING FOR?

Somewhere along the journey of "just do it," Nike has taken a turn.

Nike’s sales decline has been well documented in business and fashion news, so, unsurprisingly, the team is heading in a new direction. Initially, my reaction to "Winning isn’t for everyone" was not positive, as it felt like a shift away from everything I knew about Nike.

However, upon reflection, it occurs to me that Nike may have effectively repositioned itself not as "for everyone" but instead as "for elite athletes." While the product will still be available to others, the brand becomes more aspirational.

 Defining your customers is critical to a good brand strategy—knowing who they are and what they want, need, and worry about. If you try to be everything to everyone, as maybe Nike has been for the last decade, you become nothing to anybody.

In a world where other brands may now more authentically own the “every-person” athletic positioning, perhaps refocusing the target is a successful strategy.

Feel free to reach out to me if you'd like to chat about Nike, target audiences, or how we can help. For now, what do you think about Nike's new approach? Is "winning isn’t for everyone" the right move for Nike? Is this just a temporary change for the Olympics?