Nike, Apple Team Up on iPod Sports Gear
By Jennifer LeClaire
MacNewsWorld
05/24/06 9:07 AM PT
Two market leaders teaming up to display such progressive, innovative thinking is a stroke of genius, according to The Brand Institute President and CEO James Dettore. "It's the perfect mix," he said. "This is a natural brand extension into one of the biggest areas of consumer goods: footwear. This is a fabulous idea."
Nike (NYSE: NKE) and Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) on Tuesday announced a partnership to bring two megabrands together with the launch of Nike+iPod products.
"We're working with Nike to take music and sport to a new level," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "The result is like having a personal coach or training partner motivating you every step of your workout."
The first product developed through this partnership is the Nike+iPod Sport Kit, a wireless system that allows Nike+ footwear to communicate with an iPod nano. Jobs and Nike CEO Mark Parker unveiled Nike+iPod at an event in New York attended by seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong and marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe. The new Nike+ Air Zoom Moire is the first footwear designed to talk to an iPod. Nike said it plans to make many of its leading footwear styles Nike+ ready.
"Nike+iPod is a partnership between two iconic, global brands with a shared passion for creating meaningful consumer product experiences through design and innovation," said Parker. "Nike+iPod creates a better running experience. We see many more such Nike+ innovations in the future."
Zooming Along
With the Nike+ footwear connected to an iPod nano through the Nike+iPod Sport Kit, information on time, distance, calories burned and pace is stored on the iPod and displayed on its screen; real-time audible feedback also is provided through headphones.
The kit includes an in-shoe sensor and a receiver that attaches to the iPod. A new Nike Sport Music section on the iTunes Music Store and a new nikeplus.com personal service site has been designed to help maximize the Nike+iPod experience. Specially designed Nike apparel will also include jackets, tops, shorts and an iPod nano armband. The line features waterproof pockets.
"If you can incorporate time, distance and calories burned together and make it function for both the fitness runner and the high-level athlete, it will take working out to a whole other level," said Armstrong, who is preparing for his first New York Marathon.
Brand Management
A Branding Dream Branding experts are bullish on the alliance.
Two market leaders teaming up to display such progressive, innovative thinking is a stroke of genius, according to The Brand Institute President and CEO James Dettore. Dettore pointed to Apple's iPod innovation as a megabrand within a megabrand, while Nike's forward thinking launched the practice of using professional athletes to endorse sneakers, beginning with NBA legend Michael Jordan.
"Right now, there is so much demand for iPod that iPod will help drive Nike to another level," Dettore told MacNewsWorld. "Nike probably needs iPod as much as iPod needs Nike. It's the perfect mix. This is a natural brand extension into one of the biggest areas of consumer goods: footwear. This is a fabulous idea."
Running to Stores
The Nike+iPod Sport Kit is expected to be available within 60 days for a suggested retail price of US$29 through the Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers, as well as Nike.com, Niketown, NikeWomen stores and select retail stores in the U.S.
The Nike+iPod Sport Kit requires a Nike+ shoe and an iPod nano with a Mac with a USB 2.0 port and Mac OS X version 10.3.9 or later and iTunes 6.0.5; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows 2000, XP Home or Professional (SP2) and iTunes 6.0.5.
Brand Management
