Apple and Nike?

Macrumors said:

Apple's retail site mentions a new Nike-Apple promotion:



According to one report sent to MacRumors, Apple Store employees will be wearing the Nike ID shoes in stores along with Nike tie ins (Nike website as default on Safari) in a cross promotion effort lasting until May 18th.

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I don't know...Apple and Nike? Is this really a good thing?

First Pepsi and now Nike? Who's next, McDonalds? Oh wait....

That for some reason just... it doesn't "bother" me... but... it's like it's okay with me but sorta weird... I'm not really sure I understand "why?" is what I'm getting at.

Sounds like free pub for Nike. What's in it for Apple?

All I could think to say after reading that was "what the...?"

another intelligent strategic marketing partnership from apple!

Pepsi, HP, Nike, etc - all companies with strong brand identities (like apple).

It's always good to share like a minded customer base.

nice work apple.

excuse me while I regurgitate. Nike?

For me it sounds pretty COOOL

Is this the same NikeID as...

A couple of years ago you could go on Nike's website and personalize your sneaker. Some guy wanted to put "Sweatshop" on his, but Nike wouldn't let him...

I can't say I care for Nike much. Those 9-year-olds on a dollar a week do make great shoes though! Strategically I realize Nike is a popular brand... I wonder what Apple gets out of this--how Nike will promote Apple?

Just Do It

There was some Shockwave thing on Nike's site a year or two ago--a contest to make your own Nike music video with some canned clips and music in a very simple little interface.

I DID put something about sweatshops in mine

First off I must say that I do not currently own a pair of Nike Shoes. The reason I don't were them is not because they are made in 3rd and 4th world countries, by workers being paid handsomely by that countries standards, or because others don't like them, I don't were them currently because I cannot afford them. I have owned them in the past, and will in the future, but I wait until they are $35.99 at the NEX or K-Mart before I'll buy them. No athletic shoe, or most shoes for that matter should cost more than $50. My dad has a pair of RBK White Sneakers, and has been wearing them for 4 years, and they are barely worn, and only cost $35. So if you want to spend $100+ on shoes be my guest, but personally I'd like my money to mean something. That is why I'm saving for a PMG5 4Ghz.

TEG

too bad

Hmmm- that sounds like a bad move. Besides all the other good things about apple, I thought they attracted a kinda 'think different--think for yourself' crowd. The kind that sort of shuns places Nike, which uses sweatshop labor. Maybe its a superficial, well-marketed attraction, but I thought it was there intentionally. I guess that's a segmet they can afford to lose.

Sounds weird... I think we're only getting half the story here. Is Nike going to cross-promote Apple in some way?

Not that I really care, I prefer Vans

Totally OT but...

Foxer, Herbert rocks!

Foxer said:

Sounds like free pub for Nike. What's in it for Apple?

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First, before we go too far down the "Nike is bad because they use sweatshops" road, I think we need to be certain that Apple sells no products which are made in (or include parts made in) other countries where the labor standards are more, er, "loose" than here. I'd be happy to listen to ranting posts from people who buy and/or consume only those products which are exclusively made by happy, well-paid people. Of course, it might be hard to post such a reply, since I'm not sure any computers would fall into that category. I'll try looking outside for smoke signals.

Anyway, I think it's a good move if it gets people into the Apple stores and gets them to buy Apple products as a result. If all it does is get people to buy Nike products, then it's a bad idea. I guess we'll see. As it is, when I go to the mall with my wife and daughter, the Apple store is really my only refuge. Now, at least, I can get shoes while I'm there.

How is Apple advertising a bad thing? How is Apple partnering up with the #1 shoemaker a bad thing? How is Apple partnering up with any number of MAJOR corporations in any way a bad thing?

People, the only way for Apple to ever climb out of the cellar is for more then 25 million people to know about macs. It's more of today's youth to know about macs and that there is an alternative to that grey/beige box their parents bought at Costco. We need to be mainstream, to have mainstream appeal. To do that, we need to join the mainstream crowd and McDonalds, Pepsi, Nike all represent that.

How is that a bad thing? The more Apple does this, the greater then improve their odds of surviving long enough to maybe make some leaps forward in terms of market share. The iPod is their trendy appliance, but what else? Computer sales have sucked and still suck, they need more people interested in their machines. You do that by getting into the public eye, looking like a mainstream alternative, a better alternative. How is that a bad thing?

jsw said:

First, before we go too far down the "Nike is bad because they use sweatshops" road, I think we need to be certain that Apple sells no products which are made in (or include parts made in) other countries where the labor standards are more, er, "loose" than here. I'd be happy to listen to ranting posts from people who buy and/or consume only those products which are exclusively made by happy, well-paid people. Of course, it might be hard to post such a reply, since I'm not sure any computers would fall into that category. I'll try looking outside for smoke signals.

Anyway, I think it's a good move if it gets people into the Apple stores and gets them to buy Apple products as a result. If all it does is get people to buy Nike products, then it's a bad idea. I guess we'll see. As it is, when I go to the mall with my wife and daughter, the Apple store is really my only refuge. Now, at least, I can get shoes while I'm there.

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I've long wondered about Apple's record since some parts are apparently made in China, if I'm not mistaken. I'd appreciate it if anyone does have facts about Apple's record to let us know.

But Nike is basically THE symbol of sweatshop labor. Everyone knows it, even if they buy Nike shoes anyway (which I never have and never will, btw). So this promotion says that Apple is willing to be associated with a company notorious for making poor little children slave away for next to nothing.

I don't buy from companies that I know force children to work. I can't guarantee that nothing I buy came from child labor, but I avoid any companies that I know are involved in such horrible things. I hope I don't have to add Apple to the list...

Ignoring children's livelihood for a moment, I also don't see what Apple gets out of this specific deal. Maybe Steve just gets a kick out of giant corporations wanting to be associated with Apple now. Maybe just he wanted free shoes for his kids?

Perhaps Apple's changing their logo...

If this promotion with Nike will help Apple then I am in agreement. Will definitely have to check this out.

I'm not pointing fingers at Nike alone... I'm sure any electronics company--Apple too--has some things going on overseas (with suppliers at the very least) that don't bear scrutiny.

I have never liked NIKE, I do not like this partnership.........


I have always refused to buy shoes (and other items) that I KNOW have been produced by sweatshop labor.

Namacste said:

A couple of years ago you could go on Nike's website and personalize your sneaker. Some guy wanted to put "Sweatshop" on his, but Nike wouldn't let him...

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Yup. You can read about it here

How is Apple involved with this Nike iD thing at all...

And what's in it for Apple...

I'M SO CONFUSED - AGGH