Nike is such a beast of a company. They have been on top for the longest time, and the only way they are going is up.
It started with Michael Jordan, and greatness has not left the company. Sponsorships, in my opinion, really blew up when Nike started with Michael. They took a player, the best in the world who could do no wrong, and made him the face of the company. Michael began wearing their shoes all the time under this deal, and everyone wanted to “be like mike”. Michael inspired kids all over the world to wear his Air Jordan collection, which is more alive than ever, a decade now after he retired.
What separates Nike from other companies in how they operate is the standards they meet, not only among their leaders, but also throughout the whole company. If you walk into a Nike store, the people working there are always honest and sincere when they suggest certain Nike products to you. This is because they know all of the hard work that is put into their products and even professionals trust the products.
The last great thing they’re doing is promoting their products so dominantly as compared to other companies. When we see a commercial for Reebok, Adidas, or other companies, we always see some of the coolest looking gear or something and want to get that piece of gear. Nike connects its audience to the ethos appeal. What Nike does, is either say it’s motto in the commercial, which is “Just Do It”, or they do something meaningful in the commercial. They’ll do something for Derek Jeter, knowing that people will respect it. They constantly come up with new ways and ideas to connect with the audience, and ultimately keep themselves as the dominant sports company of the world, every single time.