Understanding Consumer Behavior: Nike Athletic Footwear

For my MKT 345 final project, I’ve chosen Nike as the Fortune 500 company I will analyze.  Within Nike, I will focus specifically on the athletic footwear category.  I chose Nike because it is a well-known global brand with a strong connection to consumers through sports, fitness, fashion, and lifestyle.  Nike also serves a wide range of consumers, which provides an opportunity to examine how different factors influence purchasing decisions and how the company can use consumer behavior research to develop effective marketing strategies.

The athletic footwear category is particularly interesting because consumers purchase these products for several different reasons.  Some consumers may purchase athletic shoes primarily for performance and physical activity, while others may value comfort, appearance, brand reputation, or fashion.  Consumers may also develop strong brand loyalty based on previous experiences with a product or their connection with professional athletes, influencers, or sports teams.  Understanding these different motivations will be important when analyzing the consumer buying process and determining how Nike can effectively reach a specific market segment.

For my final project, I plan to focus on younger adult consumers who purchase athletic footwear for both fitness and lifestyle purposes.  This segment is worth examining because athletic footwear can serve both functional and personal purposes.  A consumer may need a particular shoe for running or working out while also considering how the shoe fits their personal style.  This creates opportunities for Nike to connect with consumers throughout multiple stages of the buying process, from creating awareness to encouraging consideration, purchase, and brand loyalty.

I will use several secondary research sources to better understand this consumer segment and its behavior.  My first resource will be Nike’s corporate website, which will provide information about the company’s products, brand positioning, sustainability initiatives, and overall marketing approach.

My second resource will be Statista, which provides market and consumer data that can help identify trends in the athletic footwear industry and consumer purchasing behavior.  This information can be useful when evaluating the size and characteristics of the selected market segment.

My third resource will be Pew Research Center, which provides research concerning consumer demographics, technology use, social media behavior, and other characteristics that may help explain how younger consumers interact with brands and make purchasing decisions.

Using these resources, I will examine the characteristics and behaviors of my selected consumer segment and determine how Nike can effectively communicate with them.  Throughout the final project, I will analyze the consumer buying process and develop marketing strategies that address different stages of that process.  Ultimately, my goal is to better understand how Nike can use consumer behavior information to create marketing strategies that connect with consumers and encourage both purchases and long-term brand relationships.