NIKE EVENT EXPERIENCE DESIGN
The Nike Event Team specializes in improving the connection between Nike and its customers at sporting events including major city marathons. Nike was looking for ways to expand its reputation with serious runners by providing an improved race weekend experience through it retail stores and race-day customer engagement.
ClientNikeServicesService & Experience DesignYear2012
BACKGROUND
The Event Team wanted to research and understand ways to improve:
- The retail space layout for improved gait analysis and shoe recommendation experience
- The employee interaction, as they were losing valuable customer contact information by not having a means of capture
- The product connection to apparel, footwear, and Nike+
BOSTON MARATHON RESEARCH
Observational research was conducted on location during the Boston Marathon. The current experience was documented, identifying key areas of improvement:
- Space layout – The gait analysis was tucked away in a corner and away from the footwear
- Customer information – This was not fully captured for re-engagement and remarketing
- Queue organization – The cash wrap queue was functional, but obtrusive, and didn’t provide opportunities for product education or impulse purchases
- Nike+ Interaction Stations – Little description or engagement from staff created confusion around the purpose of the laptops in the space.
PROPOSED RETAIL CONCEPT
Several iterations led to this solution which showcased:
- Placing footwear front and center, signifying Nike’s commitment to running excellence
- Placing the gait analysis adjacent to the footwear instead of tucked away in a dark corner
- Placing the cash wrap queue among the apparel increasing product education and conversion
NEW EXPERIENCE INTERACTION: EVENT PASSPORT
The staff engagement could improve via managing the experience and ensuring customer data is captured for remarketing. A simple, analog, paper solution was proposed that would enable:
- Nike to capture customer information
- The customer to record their gait analysis results
- Shoe recommendations to be provided and recorded
NEW EXPERIENCE: NIKE+ RACE
Utilizing existing RFID tracking technology for races, Nike could create a system of their own. This system would allow the runner to see their race results, and integrate with Nike+ analytics and community. The experience would exemplify the resources of Nike+ in a tangible way compared to educating them on a store laptop. The RFID module could be returned for a discount on a retail Nike+ to continue the experience after the race.
