The Re-Branding Challenge

When something is a brand, it means that it is distinguished from other products. It can be a name, logo, design or a symbol that sets it apart from others. It can also be built on reputation. For example, the company Nike, has created a very successful and reliable brand through quality products and by having very big sports stars endorse the brand, such as Michael Jordan and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Some brands are very much linked to a narrow target audience. For example, the advertisement above is for Air Jordans, a type of Nike basketball shoe that has been around since the 1980's. They are very big among young males aged between 11-35, particularly basketball players, both casual and professional.

Your job today is to re-brand a product for a different target audience.

You have just started a job working for the Nike Marketing Department in Asia. You are in charge of all the Nike advertising in the Middle East and the Asian Continent. Your boss has given you a challenge: To begin selling Air Jordans to a female target audience.

But... how do we do this? Yes, women do play basketball, but nowhere near as many as men. And in fact, it's not seen as a female sport. Well, your boss wants you to change that.

Your job is to not only begin selling these shoes to females, but to show them that basketball is a sport that girls can play as well.

You must:

• Research female basketball players who will appeal to young girls
• Find one who Nike can sponsor and become a role model for young girls
• Research shoe designs that will appeal to young girls. What colours should you use? What patterns? What will they look like (describe them in detail)
• Come up with a slogan for them. The Nike product already has a slogan "Just Do It", but you need to come up with a separate one for these shoes which will appeal to a young female target audience.

You can complete this task in pairs.