60 Examining Nike Fan Participation: The Power of the Brand

Clothing and shoes have been used as forms of expression since we can remember. How and why we choose to like certain clothes and shoes and what it says about us is so interesting. One of the dominating apparel and footwear corporations right now is Nike, Inc. Nike’s fandom proves the brand has been succesful. I am analyzing and exploring what kind of fandom Nike fans are a part of, what it means to them, and how it affects society as a whole. The Nike fandom is essential to study because it reveals not only how communities create meaning for people but also how companies and products themselves can lead to meaningful interactions. Although, with this type of fandom analysis, we see only a part of the larger picture.

With a fandom based on something well-known globally, it is essential to look at different sides and responses to its decisions. Such an iconic brand, with so much success, comes not without failure, as not everybody can be pleased and mistakes can be made. In this case, looking at anti-fans who view Nike as a bad-object will help us to understand the meaning of the Nike fandom through contrasting views and beliefs that will provide a different perspective. To discover the true meaning behind the support and positive aspect, we must recognize where there is no love for the brand, where the love mark has failed. Through this research, I explore how exactly Nike fans behave and interact with each other and the nature of their reactions to Nike’s actions and decisions, within the past year. It is essential to look at Nike fans’ behaviours as being directly linked to the brand’s success; also, the levels of engagement and support they express will reveal what being a part of the fandom means to them.  Nike fans participate in the fandom by sharing their opinions on and creations with Nike products – through different levels of productivity – and overall contribute to the discourse surrounding Nike and how they create meaning for themselves and society through digital media.

To fully understand what I am discussing in this paper, we must look at the brand itself. Miller (2023) says that “Nike continues to reign as the big name in sports apparel…  Nike revenue has advanced slowly but steadily following the pandemic, rising to double-digit gains the past two quarters.” A case study of Nike demonstrates how they successfully marketed the brand to consumers, leading to the fandom that currently exists worldwide. Neginsadat (2023) discusses Nike’s brand management and how the brand’s success is credited to how it has balanced standardization and its adaptation… “brand management internationalization is a critical aspect of global marketing that requires a deep understanding of international markets, cultural differences, and consumer behaviour” (p. 181). Through its understanding of consumer behaviour, Nike has successfully marketed its brand to consumers and influenced the creation of the Nike fandom based on shared values. The case study explores The Global Consumer Culture Theory, which “suggests that effective brand management in a global context requires an understanding of these shared cultural values and the ability to leverage them to build strong and meaningful brand relationships with consumers” (Neginsadat, 2023, p. 183). Creating meaning for consumers motivates them to participate and be productive fans. Nike’s success is not only proven through its numbers (as a result of its strategies) but through fans’ personal experiences and how the brand has impacted lives across the globe.

With the focus on how Nike fans have a sense of meaning towards the brand, it is crucial to mention the love mark, looking specifically at how Nike succeeded with this through its fans and, later in the paper, looking at how it failed through its anti-fans. The love mark is defined as “how brands should make their consumers fall in love with them… [and] the experience economy is closely linked to emotional aspects” (Linden & Linden, 2017, p. 15). With the experience aspect of fandom and consumers in general, social enhancement explains how “fans attain a feeling of vicarious achievement simply by being part of a fandom and may gain social benefits as feelings of community and solidarity, as well as enhanced social prestige and self-esteem” (Hao, 2020, p.27). These emotional aspects create meaning for fans. An example of this for Nike is how families support the brand and how the brand connects people of all ages and sizes. A fan by the name edijslapins on Instagram commented “Our baby loves it” on Nike’s official Instagram under their post about “how the Swoosh 1s are perfect for toddlers as they take their first steps” (Onuh, 2023). Another comment by indle1i1 says how they love the new Swoosh design and how it “focuses on each step of the adventure! Seeing a design that encourages comfortable learning and supports those initial steps is wonderful! One step at a time, here’s to the joy of growth” (Nike, 2023). Something like a baby’s first steps represents so much to a family; their positive engagement in this participatory culture proves the emotional ties to the brand and the memories attached to the products. This example is one of the many ways fans are semiotically productive, which means they are creating meaning for themselves through their engagement with Nike’s creations (Fiske, 1992).

Another concept, rather a theory that explains the importance that identity and meaning have for fandoms, is the Social Identity Theory (SIT) which “illustrates how people choose group identification based on the positive outcomes derived from such membership” (Havard, 2023, p. 3). The previous example shows how parents were commenting on Nike’s Instagram post and how there was a discourse around the new Nike Swoosh design and the connection to their children, which contributes to their sense of family and ,for most, sense of purpose. The positive outcome here is the experience they and their children had while wearing Nike sneakers.

The immaterial and material value that fans have for Nike products holds great significance. The material value refers to the physical property values. In contrast, immaterial value, as Kulinicheva (2021) notes, relates to the psychological property of fandom and the different creative forms and ways to express oneself. The material value of products such as hoodies, pants, and sneakers provides comfort and protection. Sneakers protect our feet from the harsh ground, but they also have immaterial value because of the way they make fans feel. The material properties are the base of the motivation for consumers to buy, but great brands will create more profound meaning and value for consumers. One reason is that fans maintain a status with being a Nike fan. One of the five antecedents of consumer fandom is social enhancement, which explains how a fan’s social status is enhanced “by interacting with others of like interests” (Hao, 2020, p. 27). Another reason why there is an emotional connection to the products, specifically sneakers, is because there is a story behind them.

Recently, a film called “Air” was released in theatres. The movie explains the story of how NBA star Michael Jordan got his deal with Nike and ,essentially, how Nike has become so successful today with its Air Jordan line, which has led to an important subfandom within the Nike fandom (NBA and sneaker fans). The Air Jordan line has created a vast discourse and fandom for the Nike brand. The story behind the shoes plays a significant part in the current sneaker culture. The partnerships with NBA players are a considerable part of the Nike sneaker culture/fandom. Athletes and celebrities influence the sneaker game and how much fans are willing to purchase because of the emotional connections fans have to players. This is where Nike’s love mark has succeeded. A TikTok account named Overtime Kicks (@overtimekicks) reviews Nike sneakers, talking about which shoes they would add to their collection. A recent video on their from this year is the two young men discussing Ja Morant’s best Nike shoes with the hashtags “#nike #NBA #jamorant #sneakers” (Overtime Kicks, 2023). Nike’s partnerships have created a more extensive discourse around its products and have brought in fans from other fandoms, i.e. NBA fans.

Kulinicheva (2021) discusses the materiality of sneakers and also how there is a cultural history behind sneakers. A sneaker enthusiast who owns a YouTube account called Norman Nation takes a deeper dive into the film. He, his wife, and his daughter went to see the movie, wearing Nike sneakers. He explains how this film “will make sneakerheads want to do more research… and make [Nike] fans want to dig more into the story” (Nation, 7:40-8:15). Doing further research on Nike and on the people who they have partnered with is essential to the meaning of the fandom. Wanting to do further research and invest your time and energy into the story shows your love for the brand and your commitment to being a fan. This YouTuber who grew up in the 80s has a different connection to the Jordan sneaker than a younger person who did not personally experience Michael Jordan but wants to be a part of the community. Some people like to become fans to be a part of a community, which relates to Hao’s concept of social enhancement. Nike has succeeded with the love mark and making people feel connected to the brand and a part of a community, which is why even those who are not specifically basketball fans still become a part of the Nike fandom. An essential aspect of this example from YouTube is that these fans were wearing Nike products, including their sneakers. What is genuinely productive here is that the YouTuber and TikTokers are exhibiting textual productivity. Textual productivity is when fans produce a resource for other fans (Fiske, 1992). Creating is one of the ways in which we express our love for something.

Another example of where the love mark has succeeded is through Nike Air Max Day 2023. An editorial exploring this day shows the cultural aspects and ideas that define contemporary stylistic discourse (One Block Down, 2023). The editorial contains photos of bikers in Milan and Paris wearing Nike Air Max shoes. There are also responses from bikers who are Nike fans and how being a fan of Nike has connected them and added to their group identity on top of biking. One biker from Milan by the initials L.P. says, “The Air Max line is essential for me; in recent years, I’ve been buying so many, they are a necessary aspect in terms of style, critical to the idea of the street that exists now” (One Block Down, 2023). This fan’s use of the words “necessary” and “essential” is what stands out and tells us that Nike has succeeded in the love mark. This fan feels that Nike’s products are critical for them to feel a part of the biker community and the Nike community, which are both based on ideas of style and design, which many fans find meaning in. Another fan by the initials L.N. says, “I want to convey this sense of freedom and group that you can experience any time you ride your bike with your community, and therefore, with this Air Max project, drawing even more people within the movement” (One Block Down, 2023). Nike fans create meaning through community, which is based on experience, and these bikers love their experience with the Nike Air Max. They are in communication every day, and through that, they participate in enunciative productivity, which refers to how everyday discussions transform our own sense-making into public discourse (Fiske, 1992).

Nike’s most popular products are sneakers. A crucial aspect of the sneaker community is actually collecting sneakers, therefore repurchasing products. Looking at how fans use their Nike sneakers and why they collect them is important to understand when assigning meaning to this fandom, as sneakers are a primary part of the brand’s identity. Kulinicheva (2021) discusses how collecting sneakers inspires deep emotional investment and involvement. Collecting stuff is a way to express your identity and status that relates to a brand. This is why Nike’s fandom has been mainly based on its sneakers. Consumers’ intention to continue purchasing from a brand is significantly influenced by how they identify in correlation to the brand. Hao (2020) defines self-identity as “the process through which consumers expand their identities from objects, ideas, groups, brands, or symbols” and self-discovery as obtaining “access to social resources and facilitate the attainment of one’s future goals and to help one to form, clearly define and elaborate on one’s preferences, tastes, and values” (p. 26). Of course, these two concepts strongly connect to social enhancement, as we attach identity (social status) through our interactions.

Prosumers are essential to this fandom, as they represent how fans create meaning. Prosumers are both consumers and producers (O’Boyle, 2022). We see this through fans who produce informational or haul videos for other fans and fans who customize their Nike sneakers. The concept of everyday cosplay is crucial to understanding how fans express their identity and affiliation with the brand and their support. Everyday cosplay is essentially wearing something that represents the fandom you are a part of, and performative consumerism, which is when people consume to create something for others to experience, which Affuso (2018) explains through the makeup industry. In this case, Nike fans participate in this through creative expression by customizing sneakers on Nike’s website and also painting sneakers on their own. Through Nike’s website, you can customize sneakers on NikeID. But fans also purchase Nike sneakers to customize at home. The user @selcav (Ella) on TikTok shares videos of her painting Nike Air Force 1s, going through her creation process, and the emotions she feels while painting the sneakers. Another example of an account by the name of Customs by Kirsty, exhibits textual productivity as she sells her custom-painted Air Force 1s for other Nike fans, or consumers in general. One of her most recent posts is captioned “Painting custom airforces” with the hashtags “#nike #customshoes #satisfying #fashiontiktok” (Customs by Kirsty, 2023). She is a fan-entrepreneur within the Nike fandom. A fan-entrepreneur is a consumer that creates stuff for the purpose of reselling (Affuso, 2018).

Another sub-fandom of Nike is the gaming fandom. Nike has established its presence in the virtual world. A crucial part of succeeding in the love mark, is consumer experience. An empirical analysis of the Nike+ gamified digital platform, which “enables interactions of runners with Nike, runners with Apple and Google and runners with other runners and with running experts” (García-Magro et al., 2023, p. 419). The analysis focuses on value co-creation, and the significant role emotions play in them (García-Magro et al., 2023). Many Nike fans are at least somewhat active, and with active lifestyles, health usually comes into consideration. What Nike has done for fans is “converted the simplest sport in the world into a gamified social sport that offers users an enormous amount of data about their personal achievements, which enables them to become better at running and thus in a healthier lifestyle” (qtd. In García-Magro et al., 2023, p. 419). Many Nike fans post on Twitter regarding their running records and are posting pictures of them with their Nike running shoes and a screenshot of the Nike Run Club app. A user by the name Mohd Ezyzal Qarnein (@MEQarnein) posted a picture of him wearing Nike socks and running shoes, with text over the photo that reads “just do it Sunday” and his running statistics, with the caption “#nikerunclub” (Mohd Ezyzal Qarnein, 2023). The analysis of this gamification confirmed that

Nike+ is a gamified platform that has enabled the participation of consumers in co-creation processes… [and] provides guidance for companies in the design of their gamified systems by showing that the emotional responses of consumers are particularly important to ensure that they are engaged in social interaction (Mohd Ezyzal Qarnein, 2023, p. 424).

Nike fans are presented with many opportunities for great experiences and inclusion in different communities; with this example, users share their running stats with other runners through Nike’s Run Club app.

Another example of how Nike has immersed itself into the virtual world is through its partnership with Roblox and how they have joined together on the metaverse. What they call it is Nikeland, and this metaverse provides many opportunities wherein “Customers from all over the world can experience not only the appearance of the Oregon headquarters but Nike “products” and sport, free from the cost of product and equipment that could otherwise serve as barriers to participation” (Hollensen et al., 2023, p. 124). Nikeland offers fans who cannot afford its products to view them and participate in the fandom through the virtual world. Fans within the past year have posted online about Nikeland. A Twitter fan says Nikeland is an example of a brand experience with millions of visits, and it is more than just a game, but an interactive brand universe (DoubleBit, 2023). Fans feel that Nikeland has enchanted their experience with the brand, which further proves that there is strong consideration from Nike to have consumers participate in the fandom in multiple ways.

Nike has focused on inclusivity and ensuring that everyone feels welcome to embrace the brand and empower themselves. Women empowerment campaigns are of great importance to Nike. The company has done a campaign drawing inspiration from the quote “if they can do it, so can you” rather than “just do it” (Posbergh et al., 2023, p. 77). Ultimately, the campaign was successfully, as proven through revenue generation and fan activity on social media. The reason for its success is that “Nike assembled a team of about 40 women employees from both Nike and W + K to create new women-centred “dialogue” advertisements focusing on personal growth and emotional connection, rather than physical prowess and competitive glory” (Posbergh et al., 2023, p. 78). Nike worked hard to properly advertise and market to consumers, touching female consumers emotionally, which motivated them to participate in the discourse on women’s empowerment. One woman named Christine Drago, @Drago_930, on Twitter posted a collage of photos of her and other women and men at a Nike event, captioned, “What a great day today! Thanks to @Nike Soho for inviting me to be a panellist at their Cheering on Change event today! It was great to be able to speak about women’s empowerment not only in sports but in life!” (Christine Drago, 2023).

An important thing to note is how priorities affect audiences and how fans recognize the priorities of its leader, which in this case is Nike Inc. Not only do fans recognize Nike’s considerations, but also “Nike’s advertising history is well documented by scholars who identify how the brand is just as, and sometimes even more so, interested in how its products will fill emotional and social needs as well as athletic and aesthetic concerns” (Brody, 2023, p. 419).  Fans have shown how they appreciate Nike’s consideration, which resonates with how they create meaning within their societal role.

Nike “doubled down on using a transgender influencer to promote its female clothes, telling customers calling for a boycott to ‘be kind and inclusive’” (Sales, 2023). There are multiple perspectives on the reactions and discourse after this. A TikToker named Ava (@avadaplaya), who considers herself masc, posted a video of her in a Nike sports bra with text reading “mascs when they see a black Nike sports bra” and the caption “Vogue hmu #nike #blacksportsbra #masc #fashionista” (Ava, 2023). Contrary to this positive reaction and participation in the fandom, other Nike fans did not fully agree with Nike supporting Mulvaney. This sparked a backlash from Olympic silver medalist Ms. Davies, who said, “The move was a ‘step’ back after several sports bodies moved to give biological women their own protected category in competitions” (Sales, 2023).

It is necessary to look at the opposing viewpoints, as dark participation does exist within this fandom due to Nike’s decision to associate with the LGBTQ+ community. Dark participation is “the evil flipside of citizen engagement” (Quandt, 2018, p. 37). Nike’s involvement in the gay and trans community has sparked some anti-fan activity. @ChrisCoolFX on Twitter writes, “Not a fan of a gay badge and Nike logo. I won’t buy” (ChrisCool, 2023). This is a more mild example of dark participation which really only gives us a small peak at the more cenile things, as some people have taken more extensive measures to attack the gay community and Nike.

With such a famous brand that has been deemed iconic comes criticisms and faults, not only regarding Nike’s association with the LGBTQ+ community but also regarding manufacturing-human rights concerns. Some believe that Nike has been doing too little to prevent forced labour and other rights violations; it is “alleged that the company contributed to negative conditions for garment workers without remedying them” (Unglesbee, 2023). Twenty union groups filed a complaint against Nike with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in February of this year. A fact sheet provided by workers in the supply chain said they “experienced layoffs and terminations, arbitrary pay cuts, unpaid wages for hours worked, and gender discrimination at an unprecedented scale” (Unglesbee, 2023). These issues and allegations sparked a lot of anti-fan hate. This is where the love mark has failed; we see this through people’s online comments and responses. For example, @DigbyDetriot on Twitter writes, “… it was never about human rights… it was always about money. And that’s the problem!” (Digby Digby, 2023). However, there will always be hardcore fans who are still defending the brand.

To conclude, Nike fans participate in the fandom by expressing their opinions on Nike products and producing their own products with Nike products (produsers). Therefore, they demonstrate their role in the community through semiotic, enunciative, and textual productivity seen through digital media. Each of these productivity levels requires creating meaning, and being a Nike fan means being a part of a community that inspires athletic greatness, creativity, fashion, and unity. What was so interesting about this analysis was seeing how one brand could affect so many people across the globe and how pieces of fabric and other materials could create meaning that connects people. Taking a glimpse at the anti-fandom is also crucial because to truly understand the good, we must see the bad. Like any company, Nike has its strengths and weaknesses, which have been explored in this paper through fan activity to grasp the true power of the love mark that has led to Nike’s fandom. Its strengths include its brand value, sustainable growth, athlete endorsements and promotional campaigns, innovative culture, and “going digital through strategic acquisitions,” and its weaknesses are “the stain of forced labour and poor working conditions, inventory management issues, and involvement in controversies” (Jurevicius, 2023). For future research, I would want to analyze the culture at Nike and how that has affected the fandom and consumer behaviour in general. I would also look at the online discourse in more depth, meaning looking at responses, debates. What would also be interesting is conducting interviews with proclaimed Nike fans and asking them what the fandom means to them and how it has created meaning for society.

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