How did Nike Promote Women's Sports in the Middle East

Luo Zhaohui (1155084240)

In many parts of the world, Nike's tagline, "Just Do It" is a lot easier said that done. 

In the Middle East, a place with powerful traditional religious culture that always discriminate against women, it is hard to see how women take part in sports no matter what others might think. While Nike Middle East spot aiming to inspire by spotlighting women who have carried on despite criticism.  

A new spot, which dropped via Nike Middle East’s Twitter account over the weekend, takes a regional slant on the brand’s recent "Equality" work. 

Showing women running, doing parkour, ice skating, riding motorcycles and even boxing, all in what appear to be Middle Eastern settings, a voice-over says, "What will they say about you?" Along those lines, at one point, an older man looks on, seemingly disapprovingly, as a woman in a hijab skateboards through the middle of town.

But later in the video, the voice-over suggests, "Maybe they'll say you're the next big thing." 

Yes, the company is trying to sell shoes, but staking out positions on touchy subjects is noteworthy, and not without risks. In Saudi Arabia, physical education is prohibited in all-girls public schools and women's gyms remain illegal in the kingdom because female athleticism is deemed un-Islamic.

Looking at the comments on the tweet from the official Nike Middle East account, not everyone is happy with the video. However, there are enough positive comments attached to the tweet to indicate that Nike may have struck the right balance between suggesting an approach to its Middle Eastern customers regarding women in sports and simply saying "just do it." 

Anyway, love it or hate, it's another example of Nike running where other sports brands are too timid to tread. It is crucial for Nike to capture the Middle East women's sports market and cultivate brand awareness at an early stage.

This is not the first time Nike has focused on Middle East women. In January 2016, it has launched three Nike+ Training Club series for Muslim women's playing tennis, mountaineering, and doing exercise in the gym.

Obviously it is an unusual choice for Nike to regard Middle East Women as inspirational role model. Since most of the competitors have focused on women's sport, searching a suitable role model is becoming harder. There would be limited acceptance in the Middle East when regarding Middle East Women as role model, while in the global perspective, Nike 's bold brand spirit can also be emphasized.

From the beginning of 2014, Nike gradually moved to the field of women's sports. In Nike's global investor conference on October 2015, Mark Park, president and CEO of Nike announced the next five year's plan until 2020:  the revenue target in 2020 would be $50 billion, in which the female product revenues would reach $11 billion, accounting for 1/5 of total business.

References

http://mashable.com/2017/02/18/nike-middle-east-women/#JltM8i4M8EqD

https://www.fastcompany.com/3068372/quick-hit/nike-celebrates-pioneering-middle-eastern-women-with-bold-new-spot?show_rev_content

http://www.refinery29.com/2017/02/142453/nike-ad-hijab-women-sports-muslim-athletes