Nike+: A Tool in the Content Marketers Bag

Nike recently launched the Nike+ Fuelband, used in collaboration with their Nike+ social network for runners. This is one of my favorite networks – I really like running. But what has struck me odd is how I don’t see my local running companies using this experiential platform as an interactive advertising tool. See, the platform is great as a whole, but it gets even more amazing once you look at how it taps into a person’s social graph. Showcasing runs – showcasing their most dominate attributes. Almost like, I dare you to challenge the Steve Prefontaine in me. I. DARE. YOU. They publish this stuff for their entire social graph to see, which then can become this conversation: What shoes are you running in? Response: Saucony/Nike/Brooks. But where is the expert – the local running shoe company?

When business owners think interactive marketing they think large, expensive projects that require tons of time in development along with testing and then the final execution. But I disagree. If business owners understood what tech tools were available to them, as cost efficient marketing tools, I believe they would most certainly get onboard with the technology. But it takes understanding.

This is a map of my community - the orange blobs are values on a heat map for most runners in an area. (See: Running Shoe Consumers)

Experiential Marketing With Nike+

My local running company, Bozeman Running Company, holds a Saturday morning run club. I know this, because they are in my Facebook feed. However, other than announcing this, I feel no connection to the club. Imagine if this run club was extended in a more dynamic fashion, say any of the following ideas:

1. A store rep runs against others in the region
2. An official Bozeman Running Company challenge
3. Hashtagging #BRCRunClub when posting run club runs to Nike+
4. Favorite runs map creation
5. This isn’t Nike+, but creating a playlist in Spotify then sharing

This experience would be bonding, relationship building and is in the every essence of it, interactive advertising with probably the smallest budget I have ever seen.

Build your own challenge.

Why Not Embrace Nike+?

Because most business owners don’t have the time to consider this type of strategy. Another reason, they don’t think of platforms like Nike+ as a way to collaborate with the users – but more of a user exclusive platform. This should not be the case – if you how we learn.

The Play

By playing in the runner’s world (in this case, Nike+) the business is saying, we identify the fact that there is a segmented market that prefers to gamify their runs. This is fun, it’s playful and it’s challenging. You can also foster relationships through some trash talk or sharing favorite running playlists. Nonetheless, you are building a community that’s engaged, interacting and making purchases because you defined Nike+ as a strategical social platform for your business to create content.

PS How great as marketers is to say, yeah I created a piece of content – it was my daily run. #BOOM

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