Nike runs with iTunes to promote its talking running shoe
Building on online social networking and the desire of many runners to run while listening to iPods, Nike Inc., Finish Line Inc. and Apple Inc.’s iTunes are promoting the Nike+ running shoe, which contains sensors that wirelessly transmit data like running distance and calories burned to the runner’s iPod nano. Shoppers who try one on can get a free music download from iTunes.
The iTunes promotion is being offered through 700 Finish Line athletic footwear stores. Apple provided two iPod nanos to each store to demonstrate how the Nike+ running shoe “talks” to an iPod, and Nike printed out 1,000 coupon cards per store to provide shoppers who try on a Nike+ shoe with a code number for getting a free music download from iTunes.
The free download features an original 45-minute track of music by Aesop Rock. The promotion also introduces shoppers to other music offered through Nike Sport Music tracks, which are sold through iTunes.
Nike is also promoting the year-old Nike+ running shoe as a social networking device, and it says that Nike+ customers have already logged 22 million miles of running distance on Nikeplus.com, a site where running enthusiasts load and share information compiled by their Nike+ iPod Sport Kit. Each kit retails for $29.00 and comes with a sensor that slips into a Nike+ running shoe for transmitting information to a sport kit receiver that attaches to the runner’s iPod nano. This lets the runner hear while running information on running pace, distance, time and calories burned.
Nike is also retailing iPod nanos on Nike.com in the same section where it sells Nike+ shoes and the Nike+ iPod sport kits.
The runner can also load personal data on Nikeplus.com to share with other runners.
Nike and Finish Line are supporting the Nike+/iPod promotion in a marketing campaign launched last week on national TV and on web sites including YouTube.com.
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