Nike is a marketing company. You think Nike makes shoes and sports wear and they do actually, but they are a company that completely understands marketing in 2010. They invited Bloggers to a press conference in New York City. Bloggers, both big and small knowing the information put out on the web about the Pro Combat product would quickly become viral and spread like a wild fire and it worked! On this particular site for a few days anything Nike was the number one read. I’m not sure why the mass media did not show up, budgets, lack of interest? They all have written about the uniforms, but I believe they missed out on the real message, the one that no one is talking about. The Pro Combat System of Dress, the complete uniform, not the color or story behind the design – The design behind the design.
Nike has built not only a better bread box, but a faster one. The theme for the day was Boom! And it was everywhere in the room, but most who were there missed it. It’s not about the colors, the B on the left knee or the Bronco eye being reflective. Each of the aforementioned is just a part of the overall look. Its about what the student athlete is going to do in the uniform. It’s about performance, the performance caused by a design. I could tell you that Boise States uniform is themed after The Blue Turf, but so is this blog – Does that win football games? Then what wins football games? Think about that question for a minute. What wins football games? No, thats not it! You probably answered coaching, athletes, quarterbacks or one of many different possibilities. What you probably did not answer is - SPEED! The ability to go fast wins football games. Speed wins football games.
When I sat down with a cup of coffee this morning to write this, I reviewed my notes and the one glaring message that hasn’t been talked about is the quote from the beginning of the Nike presentation. “It’s about speed! Te Pro Combat from Nike is the lightest system of dress ever made. Every level and every position – Light weight, durable, faster. The game has naturally evolved, become faster and more explosive. What Nike has done was give the game yet another push. The push for speed with an amazing product and the push of that product using marketing 2010.
New York in a day to write a few paragraphs about a product. The trip was the about eleven hours of one day in my life. I will remember the look of the city, the traffic to and from the airport the great lunch provided and having the opportunity to be a part of the media spectacle for a few hours. What I will remember most is the opening – It’s abou Speed! This you will see Monday night on ESPN at FedEX Field as both the Virginia Tech Hokies and Boise State Broncos will showcase the look of the Pro Combat system. Monday night under the lights it will be about the Speed, every player, every position. Speed!
