|
Nike Forward Global Communications Recap
| Global Communications | September 2022 |
 |
|
|
| Narrative |
Nike Champions Athletes & Sport
|
|
| Storylines |
Accelerating a Culture of Innovation
Taking Action to Create a Better World |
|
|
|
|
|
Executive Summary
|
| Five years in the making, Nike Forward is Nike’s newest game-changing innovation platform revolutionizing apparel creation. Emphasizing Nike’s culture of innovation and commitment to creating a better world, Global Comms sought to launch Nike Forward as an innovation platform, not a product, and affirm Nike’s commitment to creating and scaling sustainable innovations. Leveraging Nike’s global scale, our Comms Team drove key localized media engagements resulting in high volume, narrative-driven launch coverage.
|
Simplify the Science
|
| A radically new innovation suggested an approach that places information in the hands of media editors as early as possible. And that also affirms the power of personal touch. In collaboration with geos and cities, 80+ people were pre-briefed in-person and virtually ahead of embargo. By leveraging industry moments like Milan Design Week, Women's Champions League Final, and New York Fashion Week, we were able to meet key stakeholders where they were and introduce Nike Forward through the voice of our spokespeople on high-touch, hands-on experiences. Seeing and touching the product has proven to be a turning point to get what this innovation is all about.
|
 |
| Alongside messaging we’ve also created a full suite of assets, complimentary to Brand Creative, to serve and fuel a multichannel strategy — both earned and owned.
|
|
|
| Coverage Highlights
|
| 250+ Stories
|
| Narrative Storytelling Measurement
|
| *in English only. Non-English coverage measurement coming next month.
|
 |
| Narrative Pull-Through
|
| EMEA
|
|
Nike’s invented a whole new material, and more fashion news you missed
“Nike Forward feels different because it is different,” says Carmen Zolman, VP of Innovation Apparel Design. “It is not a traditional knit or woven, but a completely new material that drastically reduces its carbon footprint.”
|
|
|
|
Nike Forward is the innovation of sportswear against climate change
“The production process therefore becomes leaner, reducing the number of steps compared to traditional Nike fabrics and significantly reducing the environmental impact, thanks also to the considerable presence of recycled material. As Aaron Heiser, VP Global Apparel Product Merchandising says, ‘This platform has the potential to reset the way we think about materials and apparel. It is the greatest clothing innovation of the last 30 years.”
|
|
|
|
Thinking forward, looking forward, future forward
“Known for being a game-changer and styling game-winners, Nike’s Forward process revolutionises the creation of its apparel. With that ethos, Nike is committing to ensuring their Forward process has fewer steps than traditional Nike knits and fleeces. By reinventing the way Nike approaches their fleece, they are shifting away from traditional knit and woven processes. Doing this will have 75% less carbon compared to their traditional knit fleeces. More importantly, the final garment will be sustainably-made.”
|
|
|
|
|
| Greater China
|
|
How Nike Forward Innovation Platform influence the future of the sports industry?
“On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Nike brand, Nike, which continues to promote the development of innovative culture, faces the future of the sports industry through the new Nike Forward innovation platform, and once again embarks on an unprecedented road of innovation with the young generation as a ‘leader’.”
|
|
|
|
Over five years of research to develop Nike Forward! New fabrics lead the development of sustainability and pay tribute to classic designs
“Maybe Nike Forward is a top today, but tomorrow it could be anything, allowing everyone to contribute to global issues while pursuing better sports performance and a better daily life.”
|
|
|
|
Nike launches Nike Forward, the brand’s biggest apparel innovation in 30 years
“Carmen Zolman, Vice President of Nike Apparel Innovation, introduced that the Nike Forward process will have less carbon emissions than Nike’s traditional fleece fabrics. There are three reasons for the reduction in carbon emissions. First, Nike Forward materials do not use the industry’s traditional high-energy-consuming processes to make yarns, but use acupuncture to connect them. Second, without the need for additional dyeing or other treatments, the Nike Forward material's process saves a significant amount of water each year. Finally, Nike Forward's products are made from recycled materials, and everything Nike Forward makes is designed to prevent waste from going to landfills.”
|
|
|
|
|
| North America
|
|
Nike Has Giant Ambitions for Its Newest Innovation
“As our biggest innovation platform since Dri-Fit, we do have big plans for it,” Zolman said. “We believe it’s our responsibility as a very large apparel manufacturer to not only innovate these new ways of doing things sustainably, but to bring them to scale.”
|
|
|
|
Nike scrapped everything it knew about manufacturing to make this low-carbon sweatshirt
“The company has a history of other innovations to improve sustainability…But its customers want it to keep going further. “Now that the athlete’s telling us that climate change is impacting their access to sport, we have no option but to act, and to represent our commitment to a better world,” says Zolman.”
|
|
|
|
Is Nike Forward the future of apparel?
“There are certain moments in the world of sports apparel that feel groundbreaking, take the release of Nike’s Vaporfly Next%, or the Flyknit material, for example. For the simplest tweaks (probably not actually simple), or the implementation of a specific piece of technology can instantly change the way we not only look at activewear, but how we perform in it too. Nike Forward is unquestionably exactly that: groundbreaking.”
|
|
|
|
Upworthy Podcast
Exploring new formats, Nike partnered with Upworthy’s lighthearted weekly podcast for a 10min chat with Carmen Zolman on Nike Forward that takes place from 29:44-39:55.
|
|
|
|
|
| APLA
|
|
New Nike apparel with reduced CO2 emissions: "The biggest apparel innovation in the last 30 years"
“Nike recently unveiled "Nike Forward," an innovation platform that uses needle punch technology as its latest sustainable technology. The company says this innovative technology can rapidly scale with a view to mass production fulfilling Nike's sustainability vision.”
|
|
|
|
Nike transforms the textile industry to reduce environmental impact
“Nike takes responsibility for rethinking sustainable innovation and scaling solutions to protect the planet and the future of sport for athletes.”
|
|
|
|
A future you can wear every day, Nike Forward
“Why did Nike make clothes this way? It's because of the environment. Nike has been dreaming of a sustainable future with the goal of zero carbon and zero waste by constantly shouting “MOVE TO ZERO”. To protect the future of sports, we are working towards a sustainable future where everyone lives together. Fashion, technology, and the environment may seem unrelated at first glance, but they are always in sync. The start of Nike Forward is a hoodie that everyone will love, but it could be a completely different forward in the future. How far can they go further? It makes me want to watch the process with joy.”
|
|
|
|
Nike Forward is rewriting the history of fabric in the name of sustainability
“Nike Forward is an innovative material that’s crafted with a reductive needle-punching process. It is Nike’s most significant apparel innovation since Dri-Fit. There are so many factors to consider when comprehending a product’s true ‘environmental impact’ but the beauty of Nike Forward lies in its thermal efficiency.”
|
|
|
|
|
| Social Coverage
|
|
|
| Owned Channels
|
| About Nike
|
| Metrics:
|
2,700 views with an average time of 58 seconds
Top Google search result when querying "Nike Forward"
|
| Nike LinkedIn
|
 |
| Metrics:
|
4,9K likes
57 comments
360 shares
|
| LeBron James Innovation Center
|
|
Workvivo
|
| To drive our narratives and excite employees, we’ve published a piece on Workvivo to introduce and bring the Forward Platform to life across the company. It represents the first step on multi-channel communications strategy an engagement journey tied to the November drop and potential for employee exclusive product. |
|
| Metrics:
|
Reach: 5370
Engagements: 4819
Click-Link: 331
|
Athletes, Education & Inspiration
|
Our store and sponsored athletes are increasingly passionate about what Nike is doing to move the world forward. Insights show that they are not only interested in better understanding Nike’s Purpose but also want to know where and how they can play a role. In HO22, we’ll deliver a pilot project toolkit that will inspire and educate athletes on Forward and broader sustainability initiatives in a visually appealing and easy-to-follow way.
|
| In a recent visit to campus, the innovation team presented Nike Forward to Lebron James as the first material coming out of the newly opened innovation center that caries his name. |
| He loved it, said it was “hella soft”
|
To Come
|
Content roll-out kicked off with a focus on innovation and in the sustain phase, towards the second drop, we’ll see style-led coverage pop-up across media friendlies. Also to come are print stories and long-lead partnerships, including:
- Hypebeast: 8-10 page feature in the Sept. 2022 relaunch of Hypebeast print
- Monocle: Oct. 2022 feature showcasing Nike’s future design approach and vision
- HOMMEGIRLS: TikTok content partnership highlighting the intersection of Nike Forward x style x innovation
- Nowness: Editorial partnership rooted in innovation and sustainability through the lens of style
- Vogue (EMEA): Partnerships with Vogue Spain, Italia, Paris and British Vogue to bring the story to life through October
- Document Journal: Style-lead co-created content
- Disegno Journal: Feature story on Nike Design inclusive of a visit to campus, No Finish Line vision and Nike Forward as a key expression of Nike’s culture of innovation
- Silver Magazine: 4 page feature in the October issue including a styled-photoshoot
|
Nike
|
|
