Nike-nfl partnership
LIghter, faster, stronger. NFL players take to the field next generation innovation for athletes at the highest level.
Nike’s football heritage is built on the concept of speed. More than 40 years ago, Nike founder Bill Bowerman set out on a relentless quest to help athletes get faster.
As the Sr. DTC digital brand lead for the NFL, I owned the online experience and go-to-market strategy for Nike’s largest and most complex partnership. Cross-functional partners included product, digital marketing, engineering, operations and customer support.
Details:
Developed Nike’s first digital brand playbook to launch and scale a new partnership including, customized experience, content to support all owned, earned and paid channels.
Created an entirely new category home on Nike.com for 5K new skus, doubling Nike.com’s assortment.
Developed a new taxonomy to support 32 teams, across mens, women’s and kids.
Briefed a NIKEiD strategy for fans to create their own Nike Dunks in team colors.
Jerseys launch tied to the April 2012 draft, and be the first to print the draftees jerseys.
Scaled acquisition with a seasonal ‘rivalry’ marketing calendar for weekly NFL game matchups across email, social, search and affiliate marketing.
The campaign came to life all across all key destinations Nike.com, twitter, Instagram, Facebook, digital media, email and SEO.
Results:
We delivered this launch on time and on budget despite endless internal issues and disconnected resources.
We were the first to read and react to the draft updates and print new jerseys for the draftees.
5 million visitors visited Nike.com on draft day alone, doubling Nike.com engagement, and conversion metrics.
NFL fangear became the fastest growing category on Nike.com in 2012.
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“Jeff and I worked together during the NFL launch at retail for Nike. He was an incredible partner for a large and complex project that required us to be entrepreneurial (it was basically a start-up for Nike in many ways); to be endlessly resourceful and work through internal issues that kept popping up; to have a sense of urgency lasting the length of the project; and to ultimately always be a partner that not only I trusted to deliver, but also could laugh with through the full experience. He showed expertise at bringing together resources across Nike’s digital landscape (disconnected at the time) to deliver the project on time and on budget.”
— Sarah Jolley, VP of Merchandising, Converse