Globally, the signature Nike "swoosh" is known by all people in all countries, and once seen, these people are quick to know and realize who's logo this is that they are seeing. The Nike "swoosh" logo alone is a huge reason and motive as to how Nike Inc. is able to further develop themselves further globally. Nike Inc. began its global development strongly in part through global events such as the Olympics and the World Cup. Nike has done this by designing the uniforms for World Cup contenders such as Brazil , and even were able to sign some Brazilian soccer players to apparel deals with the company. Nike was able to reveal the Nike Shox brand to the world in Sydney, Australia in 2000, the same year in which that summer's Olympics was to be hosted in Sydney. Nike's biggest, most truly integrated global development came in the form of a "Secret Tournament" in 2002. This correlated again with the World Cup, and through this "Secret Tournament" Nike was able to give consumers what was called, a multi-faced experience in support of that years World Cup. Nike in the past has had successful global developments and they continue to do so today, by placing factories and stores, and promoting in different countries all over the world.
Nike Store in Harajuku
Nike Inc. has factories, headquarters and stores located in many countries all over Europe, Asia, and Africa, including: France, Italy, Germany and South Africa. In Nike Inc. EMEA HQ (Europe, Middle East and Africa), this HQ accounts for more than 1,000 employees, 68 different nationalities and covers 75 different countries in this region of the HQ, located just 16 miles away from Amsterdam in the town of Hilversum. In Japan, one of Nike Inc. more powerful and successful global brand countries, The HQ Nike Japan, was founded in 1981 in Tokyo, and since its arrival in the country has been consistently supported and is considered Japan's leading global sports brand. Japan is very crucial and important to Nike's global plans, as it accounts for over 500 employees, and runs and operates 9 retail stores and 16 factory outlet stores across Japan. Most recently opening a flagship store in Harajuku, one of Japan's most fashion frenzied areas. It even earned the award for the METI (Ministry for Economy, Trade, and Industry) award at the Ministry's 53rd annual Japan Magazine Advertisement Awards.
Kobe Bryant greeting fans in China
While Nike has great success in their current Japanese and European and Middle Eastern markets, Nike is still working on today their approach to globally expand themselves successfully in the region of China. Although Nike is still considered China's leading brand of sportswear, Nike is facing very stiff competition from Chinese companies Li-Ning and Anta which I had mentioned in my previous post. But I now have learned that Nike is losing younger Chinese athletes to its main competitor, Adidas through their NEO brand products which have targeted these young Chinese athletes that are seeking to spend less money on these goods. As recent as September of 2013, Nike reported very good numbers in sales but only was it in China where the sales dropped, despite Nike selling $574 million worth of its goods in China. In order to make themselves more globally known and desired in China, Nike through its Nike Basketball apparel and shoe lines, have sent basketball superstar Kobe Bryant out on tour of China, and even have sent over Kevin Durant and LeBron James as well to help capture and spread the Nike brand in the country. The main man for this to work though is Kobe Bryant, who over the years has been more than admired and adored by his Chinese fans and had even considered playing in China during the NBA lockout of 2011. Kobe Bryant's name and presence in the Chinese community given his popularity there is very crucial to the companies success in China, given that he is the most recent Nike superstar to go on tour of China on their behalf. Kobe Bryant and Nike have teamed together in China and have released signature Kobe "China" inspired sneakers, and this past summer held workouts and coached young Chinese basketball players during his visit, and even had a commercial recently released of him coaching these Chinese athletes, which is displayed below.
Overall, Nike and its global branches are very unique in the fact that all the products sold in the USA are the same ones of same value in that country of choice, and that Nike is successfully able to keep in line their code of ethics and devotion to preserving and protecting the environment when developing the best product possible in all of these countries. Nike truly expresses its dominance worldwide in the success they have to show in numbers and sales and growth in these countries, while more importantly being able to play by the rules of the game and getting things done their way. It goes to show how much a brand like Nike is respected and treated across the world when things like that continue to progress in foreign markets and business structures within their company.
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