Nike is undoubtedly one of the international brands that have fully embraced social media in the current digital age. One thing that makes it stand out from the rest of lifestyle and sportswear companies is its iconic swoosh logo and its simple but inspiring slogan “Just Do It.” As a brand that has evolved to become a lifestyle brand and the recognition of social media as a powerful tool for information and engagement, its heavy presence of social media platforms comes as no surprise. Moving with current trends and not being left behind is a culture of all successful brands. Nike embracing the digital age and what it offers is one of the strategies that make it the most popular brand in the world. On social media, the brand has shown interest in major sports communities, including football, athletics, and athletics. As a result, Nike is one of the brands with the most followers on major social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
The success of Nike as a brand is attributed to its effective marketing strategies and engagement with its customers. With this in mind, its social media pages and profiles are tailored for different target audiences (Holt 44). Nikes’ official Instagram page is one of the most dominant with 150 million followers, followed by Facebook with 33 million, and lastly, Twitter with a following of 8.3 million as per recent data analysis.1 Having identified the dynamics and effectiveness of each social media platform, Nike applies a unique social media strategy that effectively serves its purpose and leads to maximum results. Facebook is majorly used for ads and larger campaigns such as the “Breaking2” campaign that generated massive social media attention for Nike back in 2017 (Ravi). Posts on Instagram are mostly inspiring pictures and videos of people, including branded celebrities and sports personalities who work hard to achieve their dreams. Twitter is specifically used for communication purposes and to address issues of major concern to their consumers and the public in general.
Based on the content on Nike’s social media platforms and the use of influencers and celebrities in the majority of their content, it can be deduced that the brand takes their customers as extroverted. Extroverts tend to be more action-oriented and are inclined towards social interactions (Shank & Lynn 160), attributes that are associated with celebrities and sports personalities. In addition, the brand believes its consumers to be imaginative, trendy and outdoing, and cheerful. This is reflected in their campaigns and advertisements of new products on various social media platforms. Furthermore, Nike does not shy away from speaking up on current issues affecting society, including advocating for equity, i.e. the Black Lives Matter movement.
The content shared on social media platforms by Nike is shared to update consumers and pass important information on products and services. Through the content shared on social media, the brand provides information on products offered, what they stand for as a brand, and a show of reliability through its readiness to directly engage with consumers. In my opinion, Instagram stands out among all Nike’s social media platforms as it is the most active and has the best engagement. Notably, videos get the best engagement across all Nikes social media platforms, and as a result, the company uses them for major advertising and campaigns. Generally, Nike has continued to dominate on social media through the implementation of an effective social media strategy that is tailored for specific target audiences.
Works Cited
Brenner, Michael. “13 Amazing examples of brand on social media in 2021.” Marketing. Web.
Holt, Douglas. “Branding in the age of social media.” Harvard business review 94.3 (2016): pp. 40-50.
Ravi, Kavya. 6 ways Nike built a strong brand on social media” Unmetric. Web.
Shank, Matthew and Lynn, Langmeyer. “Does personality influence brand image?.” The Journal of Psychology 128.2 (1994): pp. 157-164.