In 2012, Adidas secured the title sponsorship of the Olympics for $150 million and thought they would overshadow Nike.
However, Nike used a brilliant strategy to outperform Adidas and dominate the Olympics.
With Adidas as the official sponsor, Nike faced strict restrictions.
They couldn’t use terms like “London Olympics,” “2012,” or even the iconic Olympic rings in their marketing campaigns.
This favored Adidas significantly and created a challenge for Nike to make an impact.
However, Nike came up with a genius approach to counter this challenge.
They identified three key loopholes and leveraged them to their advantage:
- Alternative Londons
Nike was prohibited from referencing London, UK in their campaigns.
So it cleverly shot their commercials in various other “Londons” around the world.
These included London, Ohio; Little London, Jamaica, and London Gym.
- Athlete Sponsorship
Despite Adidas being the official sponsor, athletes were free to choose their footwear.
Nike seized this opportunity by sponsoring 400 Olympians, providing them with a distinctive line of yellow-green shoes named “Volt.”
This color choice ensured high visibility on the tracks, indirectly associating Nike with the games.
- Inspiring the Average Individual
While Adidas flaunted Olympians in their ads, Nike took a different route by featuring average teenagers.
Their “Find Your Greatness” campaign showcased everyday individuals pushing their limits.
This strategy emphasized that greatness is within everyone, not just elite athletes.
With these strategies, Nike outperformed Adidas in several key metrics:
- It generated 16,000 tweets associating the brand with the Olympics, compared to Adidas’s 9,000.
- It gained 57,000 new social media followers, while Adidas added only 12,000.
37% of respondents believed Nike was the official sponsor – only 21% for Adidas.
Nike’s brilliance lies in being able to get itself in front of the audience, no matter the challenges involved.
Key Takeaways
Innovative Thinking: Nike’s ability to think outside the box enabled them to navigate restrictions and still make a significant impact.
Emotional Resonance: The “Find Your Greatness” campaign’s focus on relatable, everyday stories created a strong emotional connection with the audience.
Strategic Sponsorship: By sponsoring athletes and using distinctive gear, Nike ensured high visibility during the Games.
Nike’s campaign at the 2012 Olympics remains a powerful example of how brands can leverage creativity and strategic marketing to achieve extraordinary outcomes, even under challenging conditions.
