Using a concentrated marketing (or niche marketing) strategy, instead of going after a small share of a large market, Nike can target smaller segments within the local athletic community for the Nike + Community. By targeting its marketing to the local communities where it is setting up Nike + Community, it will be able to reach the desired members for its gym and attract those that are excited by using its open community space for conferences and sports.
For the open community space, Nike could target local 501(c)(3) organizations in the area, the same way that Google.
org allows them to use its Community Space in downtown San Francisco. Google Community is a free space for Bay Area nonprofits to access event space and co-working areas. Organizations can also participate in Google programs. It would allow Nike + Community to gain traction in the local community and gain acceptance for its new products. Nike could start the same that Google did by running pilot programs with local organizations to ensure that the space and resources are flexible and beneficial to the needs of local organizations (Tai, 2017).
For the complimentary equipped space for the most popular local sport open to the general public, Nike should target local high schools, especially from the economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. In addition, the target market selected should be comprised of individuals with an awareness of the benefits of exercise and positive attitudes towards it; a fear of arriving alone (lack of relatedness); and a perceived lack of competence and autonomy.
Nike + Community should also try to target females in addition to males from the local community to take advantage of the complimentary space. According to a study conducted in United Kingdom for the recruitment to local community programs, the branding strategy was designed to “generate the feeling of a local movement, to create momentum, convey a sense of fun and enjoyment and to imply that this was a program for ‘people like me’. It emphasised session accessibility for beginners, the unfit, the overweight and people of any age. Branding approaches were tested with the advisory group and members of the target group” (Withall et al., 2012).
Twenty-five percent of the 41 million health-club members in the United States are over 55 years old. Analysts with American Sports Data say this has been the fastest-growing segment of health-club memberships since they began studying fitness gym trends in 1998. They add that the number of active participants who visit the gym at least 100 times per year in the 55-plus category jumped 33 percent, compared to just 13 percent for the under-34 group. Driving this trend are the vast number of aging Baby Boomers–an estimated 70 million by 2030, according to CDC and Merck Institute of Aging data. The age group enjoys a growing awareness about how fitness improves the quality of life for people with chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease and arthritis (Fusion, Jennn. n.d.) . Nike + Community could advertise to local running groups, such as members from the New York Road Runners society. Providing them with discounts and opportunities to try new athletic material will be needed in order for them to switch from their current gym.
As we expect Nike+community to grow , there will be a continual inflow of new concepts to consider in relation to Nike brand architecture. Some will warrant a new brand addition to the architecture, but will be merged into the corporate -branded Nike family of companies and products. Information about the brand equity will help guide the decision and inform the process.It shall be crucial to secure organizational alignment, support and potentially funding to to implement the way forward recommendation. Key stakeholders inside the organization need to be informed of progress at key milestones in order to plan for the time and resources that may need to allocate down the road for specific activities that support the brand forward.
Key deadlines and dates along the way help plan all the work that needs to happen and they also help keep others informed about what to expect new branding or changes.Making well-informed decisions about timing shall enure maximum impact of the work.It is important to understand the key drivers of the timing , to know which dates are flexible and which are immovable , and to decide key dates for the project launch . The corporate office will have to summarize the reasons why this project is being done , so they can explain them to people on the marketing team who will be executing the subsequent work for targeted marketing . The measures of what will be deemed “success” at the end of the project should be clearly mentioned so that the marketing team understands how the work will be evaluated. A creative brief is the roadmap for the creative team.It shall connect their creative work to the strategic thinking behind the targeted marketing .It needs to be a single “go to”document that guides all the creative, and it should be the standard against which the creative work should be evaluated during development.
For the concept of Nike +Community to succeed it has to be ensured that all branding and marketing efforts support a single , common, instant meaning for the outcomes someone expects to experience by engaging with Nike company or product.Initially a formal research may be warranted to evaluate the options , to gauge audience reactions, and to evaluate the meaning people associate with the proposed concept.If a formal research is not possible , considering informal checks with internal colleagues and stakeholders can be another option .The targeted marketing should include public space display.These could be simple posters or dimensional displays, depending on the significance of the launch. Partners like Nike brand endorsing celebrities,can magnify the power of Nike + Community launch and also help ensure a constant brand experience for the audience. The brand can strengthen the relationship with these partners by inviting them in brand launching activities while helping build excitement and support within the organization at the same time.
The public launch is only the start of ongoing marketing activities to manage and promote the brand for its entire lifespan,but this starting step is very important in its ability to make a strong first impression and launch the brand on the way to success.The external launch marks the transition from brand creation to all regular activities of the marketing department, which further support the brand through ongoing marketing communications , advertising ,events and so on.
According to Nike’s annual report, for fiscal year 2018, non-U.S. Nike Brand and Converse sales accounted for almost 58 percent of its revenues. The company has branch offices and subsidiaries all over the world, from Argentina to Vietnam. Global expansion of Nike + Community will expose Nike to the same risks such as the implementation of, or potential changes in, foreign and domestic trade policies, restrictions on the transfer of funds and, in certain parts of the world, political instability and terrorism. Nike will have to research where it would like to expand the concept of Nike + Community. It might not be ready to expand globally as not every market is ready for an open community space, complimentary equipped space, and a membership gym, all in the hopes to find test audiences for its new products. It will have to have a unique market strategy for the specific country and make strategic partnerships with local organizations. The expansion can only occur after a careful analysis of Nike + Community in the United States. Once the analysis of the expansion is done and the project is successful then there shall be a gradual phase of expansion . One of the dangers of successful periods is to concentrate on the current success and fail to “fill the pipeline” for future, continued success.In order to to achieve the target of Global expansion , it would require corporate support ,event schedule and planning .
Educational events prove ideal as “door openers” to develop relationships this shall require support from the local community.It is important to identify the audiences that can help achieve the goals.Language barriers is a important downside one considering global expansion initially hiring in-country personal might be expensive .The slogan and the concept need to be understandable and accepted to the local population .Gender may be a problem in countries where women do not have equal rights , It is important to understand the culture of the target country where the global expansion initiative is being planned.
Marketing Strategy for Global Expansion. (2022, Apr 23). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/marketing-strategy-for-global-expansion/