Perspective: Simon Pestridge, Global Brand Director of Sportswear
Sponsorship is not necessarily a word I would associate with what we do.
Nike provides answers to problems facing athletes. The fact that we do this on a global scale, with iconic individuals and teams, does not make it sponsorship. On any level you look at it, we are innovating to improve athletic performance. We use our relationships with athletes all over the world to eventually give any and every sportsperson competitive advantage.
Take someone like Cristiano Ronaldo, although there is obviously a contractual agreement between Nike and the player, the relationship is built on Nike’s ability to help him to be better at what he does. If Cristiano wants a boot that will help him get in front of a defender and be quicker to the ball then we look to develop innovations that will solve that problem.
At the same time, the learnings from his input and feedback around product development helps us finally develop an innovative and in many cases lightweight piece of sport’s design that is available to the consumer. The loop closes when consumers can reap the benefit, knowing that world-class sportspeople have helped inform the product that is available to them.
One of the sponsorships that’s touched me personally - it sounds biased - but it’s actually Nike’s sponsorship of Lance Armstrong. As a lot of companies were bailing from him when he was diagnosed, our folks stood by him. That’s what a relationship is all about and I struggle to think of anything else that comes close. But in terms of campaigns, I’m proudest of Nike’s Scorpion Knockout in 2002, for the scale of what we achieved with an attitude that had never been seen before.
I’d argue that sponsoring events only allows you to have a coherent narrative with consumers around that event. Being entrenched within the sport, which very, very few brands have the ability or right to achieve, is the only way that you can have consistent dialogue with your consumers. Fortunately, Nike is a sports company and that gives us a legitimate voice within sport 24/7.
