Marketing Audit of Nike's Strategies

Nike is the leading footwear company in the world. PEST Analysis sums up how the company's business strategies fare in the macro environmental level.

Nike, Inc. is an incorporated company that designs, develops and markets worldwide athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories. Nike employs both traditional and non-traditional distribution channels in almost 200 countries with primary market regions in the United States, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Americas.

Nike has some 20,000 retailers worldwide including Nike factory stores, Nike stores, NikeTowns, Cole Haan stores, and Web sites which sell Nike's sports and leisure products. Nike accounts for 33% of the global market share in the athletic footwear industry.

PEST Analysis of Nike

Nike, being an international organization, needs to focus on macro environmental factors. Macro environmental factors comprise Political, Economics, Society, and Technology, viz, PEST Analysis.

Political Analysis

The government must create economic policies that will foster the growth of businesses. Nike, fortunately, has been helped by the US policies which enable it to advance its products. The support accorded to Nike by the US government, particularly in the general macroeconomic stability, low interest rates, stable currency conditions and the international competitiveness of the tax system, form the foundation critical to Nike’s growth.

Economic Analysis

In economy, the biggest threat for Nike would be economic recession. During recession, Nike’s growth will be adversely affected. The US economy is experiencing a downturn right now. Consumer purchases are slowing down. Currently, Nike's feeling the pinch of the economic recession. The Asian economic crisis also affects Nike since its goods are manufactured in Asia. The labor costs and material prices are going up.

Nike's growth is not just affected by the local economy but also in the international economy. A weak Euro and an Asian recession could mean weak sales for Nike. The overall results in the sales generated by Nike in athletic footwear, however, remained stable. The global market makes up for the variances in sales particularly between peak and lean seasons.

Society Analysis

People are more health conscious nowadays. Diet and health are getting more prominence. Consequently, more and more people are joining fitness clubs. There is an accompanying demand for fitness products particularly exercise apparel, shoes and equipment. Nike is at the forefront of this surge in demand as people are looking for sports shoes, apparel and equipment.

Nike, however, failed to foresee problems brought about by a sweatshop expose pertaining to labor and factory conditions at production locations in Asia. This caused bad publicity and declining sales as society and consumers demand more socially responsible companies.

Technology Analysis

Nike uses IT in its marketing information systems very effectively. Nike applies marketing information systems to the economics of innovation, segmentation and differentiation for most of its businesses. Nike’s leadership status owes in large part to the use of extremely valuable Information Technology, and applying it to every aspect of the product from development to distribution.

Nike, being the world leader in the athletic footwear industry, is able to effectively harness its environment to boost its marketing efforts. This strategy has translated into robust sales of Nike's products.