Nike "Risks Everything": 5 Digital Marketing Takeaways

Still from " The Last Game"

I always wait with eager anticipation to press "Skip" on those video ads that keep me from getting to the content I really want to see. Today; however, a new Nike video ad caught my attention with a video banner that skillfully led me through the Nike sales funnel. Using the buzz surrounding the World Cup, sports, and fitness apps,  the company has created a short animated film/ad called The Last Game. The scenario is that all of the "real" soccer players with heart have been beat out of the system by the scientific creation of a new team of clones, an unbeatable force of soccer players with perfect decision making skills. Because the clones have been created to be absolutely perfect, no one can beat them and the excitement of the game begins to die. Disheartened by seeing the soul of the game lost, one ex-soccer player decides to round up all the old legends of the game for a soccer match: The Originals vs. The Clones. (I later discovered that the "Originals" represented true soccer legends such as Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic, Neymar Jr., Zlatlan, and others.)

 For five and a half minutes, I watched this advertisement/movie, never feeling like a product was being sold to me. The film ad, set in Brazil, was pretty exciting and the animation was very life-like. The storyline was basic yet entertaining, and there was an emotional connection premised on the tension between being perfect and risking nothing (the clones) versus risking everything and loving the game. (the original soccer stars). The symbolism and fight between the life and death of something is universal and connects to many audiences.

Nike skillfully guides viewers through it's sales funnel in such an organic way that I felt it worth sharing. It touches on many of the concepts that we have learned in class. Here are five of the tactics that I think contribute to the ads success:

1. Leveraging Other Marketing Campaigns to Create Awareness
The timing of Nike's digital marketing campaign could not have been more ideal. With the NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup, and the World Cup as hot topics (especially in google search and you tube search) you are capturing a segment of customers who are either already into sports or into fitness and searching for related content. Additionally, the new iphone commercial entitled "Strength" (which has a pretty cool soundtrack called "Chicken Fat" originally released in 1961) features a number of fitness apps, including Nike's. This commercial is what first created for me a stronger awareness of Nike's fitness app and interest in learning more about this new initiative by the brand.

2. Call to Action
"Risk Everything" is a powerful term and beautiful call to action. While we referred to this in class within the context of Google AdWords, it is also very relevant and effective as it relates to Nike's campaign as a whole. Similar to "Just Do It", these call to action phrases seem to really be powerful, especially in the fitness/sports context, and are a great tactic in this campaign.

3. Addressing SEO Effectively

 When I typed "New World Cup Ad" or even "new animated ad" into google, Nike (not surprisingly) is at the top of organic search results. It seems that they have accomplished this through the way that it lists the video title on the You Tube page as well as through recent stories and news articles with similar headline keywords.

4. Leading Customers Directly to the Point of Conversion
Immediately following the video there are two buttons and two options:
1. Get new gear to "risk everything"
2. Download the new Nike football app
Either choice will lead to continued dialogue and one leads you directly to an apparel page in which you can easily click and buy. 

5. Effective Bridge from PC to Mobile
 This tactic truly takes advantage of the trend towards mobile, which I experienced first hand. Though I started to become aware of the Nike app through the iPhone television commercial and saw Nike's animated ad/film on my personal computer, Nike is working to ensure continued contact through pushing customers towards some type of app experience. After viewing the ad/film, viewers are encouraged to download the fitness app or the World Cup soccer app, which isn't available until July 10th. You can sign up for it early, thereby creating even more anticipation for future dialogue between Nike and its customer.