Nike believes brands have an important role to play in tackling the coronavirus. Whether it is helping on the frontline or providing services to staff and consumers. Nike is hoping the strength of its brand, a shift in digital commerce and showing it is doing its part to help during the pandemic will help the company continue to grow during the crisis.
Nike CEO, John Donahoe, said he recognizes that Nike needs to “do its part” and to do that its innovation and manufacturing teams are exploring designs for protective equipment for doctors, nurses and others that are on the frontline. For consumers of Nike, the company has made its Nike exercise app free for 90 days. For the staff it has promised “pay continuity” despite stores being closed.
Strong Digital Campaign
To help support staying indoors, Nike has launched a “strong” digital campaign across Europe and the US to encourage people to stay healthy and connected while being at home. John Donahoe said, “We know this is a moment in society when the private sector has a major role to play. Companies like Need need to do our part.”
MarketingWeek article quoted Donahoe saying, “Thanks to our competitive advantages, the power of our brand in connection with consumers, our digital capabilities, our compelling product innovation and most importantly, our extraordinary team, we will manage our business back to full recovery. We know in times like these that strong brands get even stronger. And I truly believe that no one is better equipped than Nike to navigate the current climate.”
While the crisis is still building in the United States, Europe and other countries, China appears to be “on the other side.” This helps Nike to learn from its experience in the market and adopt the best strategy for other countries. For example, activity app usages were up 80% at the end of the quarter versus the beginning. This translated to a strong usage of its commerce app and digital sale increased by 30%. Even though 80% of stores in China are now back open, Nike’s digital business accelerated even further.
In conclusion, Donahoe ended by saying in the MarketingWeek article, “Our experience in China, Japan and South Korea gives us confidence that we will see the other side of this crisis in the near future. And I can assure you this, as the situation continues to evolve, we will be ready and we will respond. We’ll be guided by our values, and we will execute with empathy and with decisiveness.”
