Evolve and Adapt
By: Peyton Schultze
Nike’s upcoming shoe release, the Nike Adapt BB, is a game changer for the future of sports apparel and shoes.
On January 15th, Nike released information regarding their newest, and possibly most creative, shoe to date: the Nike Adapt BB. The basketball shoe is the first in line as a self-adapting basketball shoe that can be customized to mold to an athlete’s ideal fit built upon a power-lacing system, with buttons on the side that can loosen or expand at any point and an app tied directly to the shoe’s creative built-in system. Nike has always been infamous for taking huge steps and gigantic risks as a company, whether it be their ever-evolving shoes or their controversial and emotional campaigns. Yet, this may be Nike greatest step, at least since the company grew bigger and changed the name of the brand from Blue Ribbon Sports to Nike in 1971. If there was any doubt previously about Nike, there is one thing that is now self-evident: the future is now.
According to Forbes, Nike is the 18th most valuable brand in the world at 32 billion dollars, as well as the leader in apparel category with the top spot in the industry. Part of this is due to Nike’s global expansion over the years since 1971; part of this is due to its motivation to constantly innovate and create something new for the future. With this, Nike has essentially become integrated into the depths of American culture by being shown in pop culture and influencing our own ideas through their use of marketing campaigns. Thus, perhaps both of these were never displayed more precisely than in a famous scene that inspired generations from 1989’s Back to the Future Part II:
But we’ve come a long way since 1989. As technology has continued to grow and expand, so too have the lifestyles of people all over the world. At this point, the only thing we do not have enough technology for is a time-traveling DeLorean (yet). However, this is where Nike has separated itself from other brands over the years with its drive to rapidly improve through new breakaways and develop new products to benefit every athlete. Look no further than into Nike’s mission statement about innovation to find what the company has always been about:
“To us, innovation is about elevating human potential. We obsess the needs of the world’s best athletes, using their insights to create products that are beautiful and useful for everybody. To make big leaps, we take big risks. Incremental change won’t get us to where we want to go fast enough.”
While this new shoe is another huge jump for athletes all around the world, this is just another step in Nike’s aggressive approach to progressively move their brand forward into the future. No company in the world has been able to more successfully connect with athletes from all over the world to understand desires and dreams in sports. Things such as an escape from reality, a chance to become great, and an opportunity to win all linger within a motivated athlete. And while not all athletes think the same or compete for the same reason, Nike believes in the rare individuals that take the huge risks to get what they truly want or desire. Hence, this is why Nike has been able to land some of the top sports stars in the world to become ambassadors for the brand over the years and stay committed to the company. Sure, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James are among some of the most talented players to ever lace them up, but their passion for the game and drive to win are things that make them a phenomenal match to exhibit Nike’s overall goal.
In addition to its will to develop great apparel for athletes, Nike has ran a surplus of inspirational ad campaigns over the years to connect with their audience (such as in this ad, featuring the likes of Michael Jordan)
While other brands such as Adidas and Under Armour have continued to provide competition in recent years, Nike has continued to evolve in many ways. Just last year, Nike officially became the official producer of the NBA’s jerseys (they also make the NFL’s) in which they developed high technology to make a lighter and more comfortable jersey for the likes of players like Kevin Durant, Paul George, and Kyrie Irving. But that’s not just all. In 2018, Nike ran an inspirational advertisement with the controversial, former NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick at the front and center of it all. While they expected major backlash (which they did receive from a large portion of the country), Nike also received high praise from many for their progressive thinking and commitment for displaying how many athletes of the time felt. This, again, fit in perfectly for what was at the core of Nike’s company-wide beliefs.
“Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything. ”
Since being founded in 1964, Nike has taken major risks, such as this campaign, to become the company they are today. Back then, Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman co-founded Blue Ribbon Sports (before the name change) after meeting at the University of Oregon. Bowerman, a war hero and former track coach at Oregon, was known for always wanting to make the ideal shoe while serving as a coach at Oregon, believing that a shoe must be “light comfortable, and it’s got to go the distance”. From there, Bowerman began to tinker with track spikes from the track team to improve the quality of the shoes to establish peak performance, with Knight being the first athlete at the university to try out the shoes in 1958. Hence, this is where Nike first began. Yet this is what Nike still remains devoted to doing. Consistently improving their shoes and apparel to fit the needs of the modern day athlete is just what Nike has continued to do since the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, remaining committed to the fact that there is always a way to get better, parallel exactly to that of a motivated and potentially great athlete.
Today, Nike has several awesome ad campaigns featuring some of Nike’s best athletes, such as Giants’ WR, Odell Beckham, Jr.
With the new release of the Nike Adapt BB, Nike is taking the first step towards the future of self-lacing and constantly adaptable shoes. Although they only are beginning to be sold as basketball shoes, it can be all but guaranteed that Nike will soon dish out adaptable shoes with sports such as track, football, tennis, and baseball. Even, quite possibly, they could eventually be made as just casual shoes for athletes to wear on day off. After all, Bill Bowerman once said, “If you have a body, you are an athlete". The Nike Adapt BB hits retail stores soon, and is likely to be a massive hit in the new day and age of sports apparel. Nike has always taken risky leaps like this, which has made them a company as unique as they come. With this new product and recent campaigns, it is becoming more and more clear that Nike is taking the rest of the sports world head on and asking the question: how much does it take to become greater?