Nike has overhauled its advertising and marketing division because it tries to revive sluggish gross sales, restore model worth and regain the inventive edge that outlined it for therefore lengthy.
In a earlier ADWEEK story, we spoke to former Nike executives, individuals who have labored carefully with the model and different advertising and marketing consultants about how the corporate stumbled and what it ought to do subsequent.
Whereas a lot of its challenges transcend advertising and marketing, efforts to strengthen its model voice are already underway.
Right here’s what we confirmed about how Nike has remodeled its division up to now:
Separating design and storytelling: Round 2020, Nike merged its model design and storytelling items below one division. Now it’s separating the 2 features once more into two distinct groups.
Why does this matter? When the 2 features have been collectively, it meant that model communications was absorbed below design, which “took the management in advertising and marketing content material manufacturing,” ex-Nike marketer Massimo Giunco posted on LinkedIn.
Separating them underscores how model storytelling has once more change into a singular focus for Nike.
Selling a advertising and marketing maverick: Nike has introduced again Enrico Balleri to its world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon as vice chairman and artistic director of world model voice. His goal might be to raise storytelling throughout your entire model.
In his 20 years at Nike, Balleri has overseen lauded campaigns together with “Write the Future” for the 2010 World Cup. However since 2021, through the time of Nike’s digital-first pivot, he’d been in a regional job in Milan, Italy.
Like his boss Nicole Hubbard Graham, who was named CMO of Nike earlier this yr, Balleri is among the firm’s advertising and marketing veterans. Elevating him to this new job means that Nike is embracing its inventive mavericks and specializing in the essential position of name storytelling once more.
These modifications construct on different key appointments designed to strengthen Nike’s market place: In July, the sportswear large rehired Tom Peddie, who retired in 2020 after greater than 30 years with The Swoosh. He’s returning as its vp of market companions, a strategic title supposed to assist Nike rebuild its relationships with key retailers after years of specializing in direct-to-consumer (DTC) gross sales.
In late 2023, 30-year veteran design lead John Hoke was named chief innovation officer. On the similar time Martin Lotti took over the design crew, overseeing all facets of design, from footwear and attire to model and retail ideas.
