International Strategy

Throughout the life of Nike Inc., they have expanded from a shoe company, to everything in athletics. From shoes to clothing,  to the sporting equipment used, Nike has been one of the biggest international successes in athletics. As a recognizable symbol worldwide, they are able to tap into many different market segments, different sports, and different groups of people throughout the world in order to achieve the success they have had.

In the United States, Nike is a market leader in sports equipment and apparel, and they have multiple star athletes that are endorsed by Nike, which also happens around the world with athletes like Tiger Woods, Lebron James, Rory McIlroy, and Rafael Nadal. The sports that these athletes represent are popular around the world, in some countries more than others, which is why Nike has diversified their sponsorships, in order to get worldwide attention and brand recognition. These athletes are a major influence on the image that Nike has around the world.

When marketing and selling worldwide, Nike has to take into account the trends, values, customs, and overall culture of the countries they are selling in. Their marketing plan has to be different to cater to the popular sports, the fashion trends, and the values that each country has. In their ad campaign that aired before the London Olympics, Nike had a goal of reaching athletes around the world with a simple, but effective message of "finding the greatness" in each and every person. This was a perfect campaign for them before the Olympics, as it brought in sports and people from all walks of life, of different ages, ethnic groups, and playing different sports. It sent across the message that each one of us has greatness, and not only Olympic athletes can be great at what they do. This was an effective way to get the attention of their markets worldwide, at a time when everyone around the world is watching the Olympics.

Along with these campaigns, Nike outsources a lot of production, which helps to keep the costs down. They have very successful technology that is advanced and efficient for the manufacturing plants all over the world. Nike has had success on an international scale because of the way it carries out its international strategy. Their campaigns worldwide, combined with its international athletes that use and promote the products, have a big impact in the way the company runs, and the success that it has had.