Using the copy line ‘Built For Brilliance’ and the hashtag #NoMaybes, Nike Soccer is rolling out its campaign for its new US Women’s National Team uniform for FIFA’s 2015 Women’s World Cup – and this is no ordinary kit launch.
It’s not just the heavy promotion across paid, earned and owned Nike platforms that marks it out as a ‘first-of-its-kind campaign, but also the fact that this is Nike’s first women’s shirt that enables fans to buy men’s (and youth) versions and sizes that makes it truly unique.
Brilliance for all. Get the 2015 #uswnt Home Kit, now available in Women’s and Men’s sizes. http://t.co/XCKXoQfSvd pic.twitter.com/QFZEpDLHeR
— Nike Soccer (@nikesoccer) April 22, 2015
Previous Nike women’s shirts have been available only in women’s and youth sizes (while the men’s kits for Brazil 2014 were available in women’s sizes).
The complete jersey range can be purchased through the Nike Soccer App (gonike.me/SoccerApp), Nike stores and Nike.com and the ussoccerstore.com site.
This new US Women’s World Cup replica kit retails at $90 for both women and men and at $75 version for youth.
In terms of the marketing, Nike unveiled the kit that the US Women’s National Team will wear throughout the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup at a lunch event fronted by star players Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan.
‘The kit and boots feel great,’ said Wambach. ‘If you look good, you are ready to play well, and when I wear this on the pitch, I feel inspired to play well for my country, our team, and the fans.’
A further key strand of the campaign saw both forwards also made a ‘special appearance’ on blockbuster US TV show American Idol and on Fox’s hit singing show the soccer stars discussed the new home jersey launch live.
The launch saw a special feature shoppable microsite at http://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/football/usa-national-kit and was heavily promoted on Nike’s own social platforms – particularly Twitter,
Teams that never let up once, never have to think twice. #NoMaybes pic.twitter.com/dHSQnv5oZJ
— Nike Soccer (@nikesoccer) April 22, 2015
Built for brilliance. Get the 2015 #uswnt Home Kit first in the App: http://t.co/XCKXoQfSvd pic.twitter.com/hKNKNP2yyH
— Nike Soccer (@nikesoccer) April 22, 2015
as well as Instagram, and Pinterest.
According to Nike, the new kit (or uniform as the Americans tend to call it), blends new inspiration and contemporary style with the very latest performance innovation and environmental sustainability.
In terms of appearance, the new white shirt has a black stripe running down the side of the body, through the jersey and shorts, to accentuate player movement. While a ‘white-to-volt-yellow’ gradient in the socks draws the eye to the feet and the ball.
Two stars have been stitched in on top of the US Soccer Federation crest to represent the USA’s two FIFA Women’s World Cup victories in 1991 and 1999 (something the men’s team kit can’t offer – never having won the tournament), while a black triangular insert punctuates the new streamlined V-neck collar.
Another first for this women’s kit launch sees Nike create a pack of women’s footwear that includes all four of Nike’s boot types – Mercurial, Magista, Hypervenom and Tiempo – in a colour combination designed to match the new USWNT home uniform.
‘This is a huge moment for these players and for women’s sports. It was a privilege to design this uniform for the best team in the world,’ commented Nike Soccer global creative director Martin Lotti.
‘When creating for this amazing event so close to home, we wanted to create real impact and make sure it was built for brilliance in every way. This is also the first time we’ve designed an integrated look from the cleats up. We see the combination of the new uniform and footwear collection as an expression of our commitment to performance, innovation and style.’
While the inside back of the neck features a blue triangular pennant design with 13 white stars, a numeric reference to the original US colonies and a visual reference to the American flag.
In the now perfunctory nod to the environment, all the kits are made from recycled plastic water bottles, while the shorts are 100% recycled polyester. An average of 18 recycled plastic make up each uniform.
Nike has also produced a full range of matching training apparel, plus off-field press and travel wear for the players.
This World Cup looks set to offer a key platform not only for female athletes, but also for sports brands and sponsors to market around elite women’s sport.
Indeed, Nike is putting the finishing touches to a women’s soccer-specific campaign called ‘No Maybe’s’ for the tournament.
And as part of the “better for it” campaign, U.S. players Christen Press, Ali Krieger, and Carli Lloyd will be sharing their workout routines on the Nike+ training app. “We truly see this as a great opportunity for the women’s business,” says Lotti.
To break through beyond this summer, says Grazutis, the U.S. not only has to win but provide plenty of drama along the way. “Nike are going to try to push it as long as they can,” he says, “but if there is not a good story behind it, it’s difficult.”
Comment
The black and white colour scheme of the kits may have caused a bit of a stir (as they are a change from the traditional US red, white and blue), but its the introduction of men’s versions that may be the biggest change with the new launch.
Surely this is a change that will be welcomed by all supporters of the women’s national team!
It is also yet another sign of a bigger shift in focus at both Nike, other sportswear brands and sports sponsors too.
After decades seen largely as something of an afterthought, women are now at least co-driver in the marketplace.
‘The industry has under-served women for years. Only in the last couple of years have we seen brands and retailers really starting to give women equal weight,’ argues NPD sports industry analyst Matt Powell.
‘The explosive growth of Lululemon helped demonstrate a new kind of female customer was ready to spend and when a brand can come out of nowhere and capture the kind of mindshare that they did, as quickly as they did it woke everybody up.’
This drove Under Armour’s search for a more female focus and it was quickly followed by fresh female approaches not only by adidas and Nike, but also by brands such as Foot Looker, Dick’s Sporting Goods.
For Nike, women accounted for sales of around $5bn – around 21% ot its total $24bn revenue.
The company is now aiming to grow its women’s apparel sector by 12% per year – spearheaded not only by its new US Women’s Soccer Kit, but also by the recent launch of its largest ever ad campaign targeted at women ‘Better For It’.
While the World Cup kit rollout reflects traditional Nike marketing, the new ad campaign reflects a distinctly fresh approach for women.
Times, it seems, are a’changing and Canada 2015 could prove a tipping point for women’s football sponsorship and commercial partnership.
Nike US Women’s Team kit launch isn’t the only campaign first associated with the upcoming tournament.
Other stand out marketing ‘firsts’ range from Coca-Cola’s first Women’s World Cup Trophy Tour to Continental Tyres England Women’s Team #RoadToCanada campaign.
Links
US Soccer Women’s National Team Launch Event YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xv_NaCq2DY
Nike Soccer Website:
Nike Soccer USA Women’ Team – Shop The Collection:
http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/pw/womens-fan-gear-usa-soccer/ck8Z896Z9zkZnns
US Soccer Women’s National Team Website:
http://www.ussoccer.com/womens-national-team
USA Soccer Women’s National Team Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ussoccer_wnt/status/591031254356754432
FIFA Women’s World Cup
