How Social Media and the Web Influenced the Media Campaign

Social media is increasingly becoming the most popular source for consumers to research products and express consumer feedback.

Today more than 60 precent of consumers researching products through multiple online sources learnt about a specific brand or retailer through social networking sites (Chandler Stephanie, 2013). The statistics illustrate why it has become important for marketers to launch campaigns through social media and have knowledge of the positive and negative effects this marketing can have.

Researching the Nike – She Runs the Night campaign makes it evident that without the use of social media the brand may not have been as successful in sharing their message to such a large number of people, than if they had launched the campaign using another method.  

Social media allowed the company to create awareness of the event, while also marketing their brand and products for women at potentially a lesser cost. The recognition for the campaign led the marketing team to create a community and space for women to begin conversations and organise running groups. This meant their audience was regularly viewing the space and Nike could use this opportunity of consistently sharing their symbols, messages and gain constant exposure for their products in a cost effective environment.

The use of direct marketing between Nike and their audience led to ideas for the event and instant event and marketing feedback. This played a significant role in their campaign because it was feedback from consumers that inspired the company to organise the running event in the evening, as women preferred to run at night.

Source: Chandler, Stephanie, 2011, The Hidden Benefits of Social Media Marketing: Why Your Strategy May Be Working Better Than You Think, FORBES, Available: http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2013/03/12/the-hidden-benefits-of-social-media-marketing-why-your-strategy-may-be-working-better-than-you-think/ Accessed: 14.10.2014

The Media Used To Promote The Nike Campaign

In order to increase sales in female Nike running shoes within Australia, the company began their campaign on social media as their platform to target women.

Social media became the primary channel to reach their target female runners. It was also used as a medium for the brand to share symbols, messages, receive feedback and advertise their products.  The primary social media pages used to communicate with their audience were Facebook and Twitter. These sites provided Nike with the tools to create a physical and digital community of runners, and empowered them to communicate amongst themselves and form running groups. This reinforced their key message, which was “Women had more empowerment when they run in a group, rather than alone”. 

Followed by social media were print advertising and video advertising across a variety of mediums such as: online, magazines, gyms and billboards. The placement of the advertising suggests the brand didn’t only target female runners, they targeted females in general and encouraged a variety of women to participate in the Nike running event. A Nike app for smartphones was also integrated into the campaign which allowed runners to sign up for the event, set goals and become part of a virtual running community.

A variety of ambassadors were also assigned to training groups of women for the event and eventually they became the face of their advertising and commercials. This marketing technique attempted to involve women that consumers could relate to and be inspired by, rather than just any model or sport athlete.

Pop-up stores were located in Sydney to prepare runners with gait analysis, bra fittings and Nike merchandise to purchase for the event.

The social media pages are actively, continuing to promote Nike footwear for women and prepare runners for their next night running event. This allows the brand to continue promoting for the event and advertise their footwear in the mean time. The social media pages also allow consumers to do the marketing for their brand. Those who participated in the event have posted positive comments in regards to the campaign and promote the brand while doing so.  

The Marketing Campaign.

Nike has become an internationally recognised sportswear brand for professional athletes and enthusiasts. Today the brand has employed over 40,000 people worldwide and makes over $20 billion in revenue globally. However, recent research suggested the company was losing sales within the female market to competitor Asics. The research outlined, females were more confident in wearing Asics footwear for running and recommended it to other female runners, however, women still preferred to wear Nike clothing.  

  

The overall objective of the marketing campaign was to increase the sales of female running shoes, within the Australian female market. The campaign began by collaborating with the agency Razor and together they created feature editorials, advertising, social network sites, and a physical and digital community of runners.

Nike used social media to begin their campaign and in doing so discovered that females preferred to run in the evenings, however were afraid to run alone.  This theme became the basis for their marketing campaign and inspiration for their 13k running event across Sydney, in the dark.  

Source: http://www.amccreative.net/2013/05/nike-she-runs-2013/ on October 30th