How Nike understands Brand Experience

One of the main reasons for Nike’s success can be put down to the deep understanding they have of their customers, and the focus they put on the experience for consumers. One of the cornerstones of Nike’s growth strategy is what they call Nike Consumer Experience (NCX), an intense, laser-like focus to continually raise the bar on creating consumer connections throughout all their touch points. This focus, from the top down, has created a culture of innovation throughout the company, and so, they have developed some of the greatest brand experiences we have seen within retail environments.

Using Data to Create Experiences

When implementing NCX, Nike also launched their consumer app. The Nike App enhances the shopper experience and gives access to the NikePlus rewards program. The loyalty program offers members exclusive products, member exclusives, access to Nike experts, personalised workouts, priority access to events and most importantly gives Nike insight into customer’s shopping habits and product preferences. Allowing the opportunity to create personalised experiences for the customer both online and instore.

Nike have used this data and insights to create new concept stores, targeted specifically by location, the first being Nike by Melrose in LA. These stores have streamlined their product offering, creating more curated collections inspired by the shopping patterns within the local community. In LA this has focused on running and style collections. The stores are also used to test new features that can be rolled out to other outlets deemed on their success, including the trialing of curbside pick-up through the app, and digital vending machines for rewards for NikePlus members. The focus on of these experimental digital-meets-physical retail concepts has been becoming a hub for their members, and delighting them with the experience.

Nike by Melrose

House of Innovation

A large investment has been made into the company’s flagship stores, or Nike House of Innovation as they call them. Currently, with four locations in London, Paris, New York, and Shanghai, they are described as ‘temples to shopping in the digital age’. Each store is centred around an ‘arena’ a space to connect, trial products, or even complete a workout. It has been designed to allow the customer to take in the energy of the store and the Nike brand and to capture the ‘Just Do It’ value in the shopper.

The ‘arena’ at House of Innovation Shanghai

Digital integration is a key factor throughout the stores. Visitors can add garments via QR codes to a virtual dressing room list. Multi-touch, multi-user wall displays are on every floor, allowing customers to do everything, from taking selfies and uploading it to the wall, to live updates on sporting events, to comparing products.

Personalisation is another crucial factor instore. Developing bespoke services is a major factor in creating a lasting experience. Exclusive to NikePlus members, Nike by You is one of the experiences on offer. Members are offered a one-on-one session with a designer to customise select shoes, adding dip-dye, embroidery and allowing them to create a completely unique, branded product.

Nike by You Studio, Paris

The combination of these factors, plus design features such as flooring made from recycled Nike footwear, to the iconic Swoosh emblazoned everywhere, has created a retail experience that has captured the essence of Nike, but also wows and delights its customers leaving them excited to return.

Nike continues to transform the retail landscape with their retail environments, they have not been afraid to take chances, and trial concepts. Their focus on digital integration and using customer data for the benefit of the customer’s experience has been a winning combination.

If you would like to discuss how Grant can help create a powerful brand experience in your next retail fit out, get in contact with one of our team.