Brand research for Nike

Nike is one of the world’s leading sportswear and athletic footwear brands. Founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports and renamed Nike in 1971, the company designs, develops, and markets athletic shoes, apparel, equipment, and accessories.

Nike positions itself as a brand that inspires people to achieve their potential through sport. Its famous slogan, «Just Do It,» emphasizes motivation, perseverance, and personal achievement.

Where Nike Speaks Nike uses many platforms to talk to people. They are active everywhere. Instagram Instagram (@nike): They have over 300 million followers. They post beautiful photos and motivational videos. They focus on stories about athletes. TikTok TikTok: On TikTok, Nike is more fun. They post short, trendy videos. They work with popular creators and do challenges. YouTube YouTube: They use YouTube for long videos. These are like mini-movies about sports, winning, and personal struggles. PR Campaigns: Nike creates big news. They support famous athletes and social movements. This makes people talk about them in the news, not just online. Nike Apps Mobile Apps: Nike has its own apps (Nike Run Club, Nike Training Club). This is a direct channel to talk to users every day while they train.

The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM). This theory says there are two ways to persuade people: the Central route and the Peripheral route.

ELM — Central Route. This is about logic and facts. People think hard before buying. They look at the quality, price, and technology.

ELM — Peripheral Route This is about feelings and quick choices. People don’t think much. They buy because a famous star wears it or the music in the video is good. Consumers rely on emotional cues, visuals and symbols.

Dialogic Theory. This theory is about building relationships. It means a brand doesn’t just talk at you, it talks with you. Good PR means a two-way conversation. Brands must listen to users, answer their comments, and create a community.

Nike ads use epic music and emotional stories. This is also the Peripheral route. It makes you feel strong and brave. Sometimes Nike uses the Central route. When they release special running shoes, they show the new technology (like Nike Air or Flyknit). They give facts to serious runners.

Scientifically, Nike’s strategy is smart. They use the Central route for professional athletes, but they use the Peripheral route (emotions) for everyone else.

From a theoretical standpoint, Nike is great at two-way PR. They don’t just sell products; they organize a space where users want to spend their time.

To sum up, Nike demonstrates a highly effective communication strategy by combining emotional storytelling with product-focused information.

As for recommendations: — Increase direct interaction with followers through comments and live sessions. — Expand personalized content for different audience segments. — Encourage more user-generated content campaigns. — Provide additional behind-the-scenes content to strengthen authenticity. — Use more educational content explaining product innovation and sustainability initiatives.

They use the Peripheral Route (ELM) perfectly to create strong emotions. They build a strong two-way dialogue through their apps and support accounts.

Listen more on main pages: They should answer regular users in Instagram comments, not just on Twitter. More facts (Central route) about ecology: Young buyers care about the planet. Nike should show more clear facts about how they recycle materials.