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Nike Primes Shoe Biz for Jordan Play
by Terry Lefton
http://www.globekicks.com
Bidding to restore some luster to its showcase sub-brand,
Nike is cutting retail distribution of its Jordan brand
footwear in half beginning with the critical back-to-
school selling season, with new ads due in July.
Jordan brand chief Larry Miller said that while sales of
the latest Air Jordan XV sneaker have exceeded
expectations, "We've been riding the brand pretty hard for
awhile, because regardless of the state of the market,
Jordan is a constant. Now we want to get back to the days
when people stood in line for the product."
Nike and every athletic shoe brand has suffered from a
glut of models and retailers. While marketers generally
have cleaned up excess inventory, the problem of too many
stores persists--especially in malls, producing a sales
environment that only competes on price.
Nike also plans to expand its apparel into non-shoe
accounts, such as department stores and urban
outlets. "The idea is to have a look that's a mix of
authentic athletic and style' said Miller.
Spending levels will stay consistent at $12 million, as
will creative, which casts Jordan in a more supervisory
role to better showcase active endorsers like Eddie Jones,
Randy Moss and Derek Jeter.
"We will always use Michael but we cant really show him
slam dunking anymore," said Miller.
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