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  • MKT 345 Project Selection

    The company that I have selected for the final project in MKT 345 is Nike, which focuses on athletic footwear and apparel. Nike is a good organization to analyze due to them being a worldwide company with a strong competitive presence. Nike’s footwear arsenal includes many different product designs, such as options for recreational users, elite athletes, and consumers who are attracted to fashion. Some of their most popular lines are the Air Max, the Nike Free, and the Air Jordan, which is a good example of Nike’s balance between performance and lifestyle appeal. This analysis is relevant due to Nike combining functional benefits with emotional benefits that consist of self-expression, identity, and brand loyalty. Nike also has a strong digital engagement, as well as sustainable initiatives that further support the choice to use Nike for this project.

    A recent purchase that I made from Nike was the Pegasus running shoes, which shows Nike’s use of segmentation strategies. Nike identifies market segments through psychographic, demographic, and behavioral segmentation. Psychographically, Nike appeals to consumers who value self-improvement, health, and active lifestyles overall. Demographically, Nike often targets consumers it is trying to reach based on gender, age, and how much money they make. Lastly, when it comes to behaviorally, they target consumers based on performance needs, how much they run, and brand loyalty. These segmentation strategies are implemented by Nike through marketing efforts that target a certain group of people. Elite athlete endorsements help to reach performance-driven runners, as well as through competitive racing and product descriptions. How recreational runners and beginners are targeted is through lifestyle-focused advertising and accessible product pricing.

    When implementing segmentation strategies, there are several key points that are crucial. It is important that the segments are accessible, measurable, and substantial enough to support marketing investment. The segmentation strategies must allow companies to make their marketing mix dynamic, effective, and adaptive to consumer behavior changes. Within the running shoe world, there is a growing segment of consumers looking for running shoes that are environmentally conscious. If Nike uses more recycled materials, manufacturing practices that are sustainable, and messaging that is transparent. Sustainability-focused campaigns can also help Nike to connect with consumers in this growing market. Sustainability is becoming more popular among many different companies producing running shoes, so it is important that Nike doesn’t fall behind and continues the same actions as other companies.

    References

    Johnson, K. (2025, November 11). Nike Target market. Business Strategy Hub. https://bstrategyhub.com/nike-target-market/
    Pereira, D. (2025). Nike Target Market Analysis (2025). Business Model Analyst. https://businessmodelanalyst.com/nike-target-market/

  • Nike Air Unlimited

    While developing the marketing proposal for the Nike Air Unlimited, the data collected up to this point support Nike’s organizational goals of performance, innovation, and consumer-driven product development. Nike’s main goal as a company is to serve athletes of all skill levels through technology and innovative designs. Insights that have been gathered through trend reports, competitor analysis, and survey data show a strong demand for running shoes that are durable as well as lightweight. In the target demographic for the Air unlimited, consumers are primarily between the ages of 18-35, and they value cushioning, sustainability, and brand reliability.

    After researching the industry, several trends are emerging that shape the athletic footwear market. One of the major trends is a shift towards athletic footwear that can be used in consumers’ daily lifestyles. Consumers are looking for comfort as well as style. Another growing trend is a focus on recyclable materials and sustainability, as more and more consumers are becoming environmentally conscious. Future trends that may arise are smart shoe features and personalized fit technology. Although the Nike Air Unlimited meets the needs of consumers currently, it may need to make changes in the future to adapt to changes in consumer preferences.

    For the Nike Air Unlimited, the marketing strategy is designed to follow ethical, legal, and industry standards. What this includes is responsible advertising practices, performance, and alignment with Nike’s corporate goals. Some ethical considerations include avoiding misleading messages as well as exaggerated performance promises. Adhering to international regulations and safety standards is very important because Nike is such a big brand. When it comes to promotional messaging, it is crucial to have honesty, transparency, and inclusivity to ensure that the brand maintains its trust and integrity.

    While conducting research for this project, several limitations became clear. The insights from the survey feedback could not be generalized to a global audience due to the sample size and demographic variety were limited. Furthermore, there was limited access to proprietary internal Nike data, which consists of detailed analytics, advanced consumer forecasting, and manufacturing costs. Aside from the limitations that have been mentioned, the research collected thus far provides strong direction moving forward for the Nike Air Unlimited. It shows that there is a clear opportunity for Nike to expand its running shoe category, while still meeting the expectations of today’s consumers. The preliminary findings support a solid launch of the Nike Air Unlimited as a competitive addition to Nike’s running shoe line.

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  • Nike

    Nike is one of the most recognizable brands in the athletic world. When discussing Fortune 500 companies, Nike is consistently ranked in this category. My reasoning for choosing Nike for this project is due to their strong global presence, their drive to consistently improve their products, and their ability to stay relevant in the marketing world. Nike has also demonstrated their commitment to understanding their consumers’ interests based on market segmentation strategies and data-driven insights.

    The product that is under consideration is called the Nike Air Unlimited. This is a sustainable running shoe that is made with fully recyclable materials as well as tracking through the Nike app. The target audience for this product is consumers who are environmentally conscious and who value comfort, sustainability, and performance as always. Nike’s mission, which is to “bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world,” aligns well with this product.

    When it comes to research and design objectives, the primary objective is to understand consumer interests and why they would want to purchase the product. This product is a combination of high-performance design, as well as a focus on being environmentally responsible. The research that will be done will be to understand the key influences that drive consumers to buy eco-friendly products. In order to achieve these objectives, both qualitative and quantitative methodologies will be used to understand consumer behavior. The qualitative side will include online focus groups as well as interviews with real runners. On the quantitative side, this will distribute an online survey to a larger crowd of people to get a more diverse sample.