The general manager of Nike Mexico explains that the brand had not been as strong in the country as it is now, and it is related to the fact that before sportswear did not have as much relevance and was rather a commodities. But now sports clothing and footwear have taken over the catwalks and have burst into completely different contexts, generating new styles of clothing, such as the smart-casual, that combines formal garments with more relaxed ones.
Nike has found in collaborations a way to take advantage of this trend and connect with the consumer. For the general manager of the brand in Mexico, collaborations with characters like Billie Eilish or J. Balvin have also been a door for sneakers leave the fields to the streets and become part of the daily lives of those who use them.
Music and entertainment have always had a strong influence and this is why footwear companies like Nike and its competitor Adidas stick to celebrity marketing in the music and professional sports space, to launch products that they tend to have a higher price compared to seasonal merchandise.
Bueno anticipates that this trend will intensify in the coming months, amid the furor that will be caused by events such as the World Cup in Qatar, which begins on November 20, and which will be a good showcase for Nike, which sponsors 10 teams, including Brazil. , France, Portugal and England.
“We are born into sports, but by re-introducing them (sneakers) to consumers, they take on a new look, a fresh take on the classics. The brand collaborations are a tribute to our sense of branding in sport, a tribute to our athletes and to our past,” he says.
Globally, in the first fiscal quarter, Nike reported revenue of $12.7 billion, up 4% from the same period last year. The company’s direct sales grew 8% to $5.1 billion and digital sales rose 16%, according to the company’s financial statement.
Mexico: the race won
Mexico City is among the 12 most important cities for Nike, along with New York, Los Angeles, London and Paris, despite the fact that the entire collection does not reach the Mexican capital internationally.
The general manager of Nike Mexico shares that they report positive results in all their sales channels, from their own stores, operated by Grupo Axo, to digital channels and stores such as Innovasport or Invictus.
“We are in a position that we have never been in. One year after another we have celebrated that we have reached the best year of our history in Mexico. We have maintained sustained and robust growth”, he concludes.
