My Nikes Used to Take Me on Epic Trail Runs

5 years ago, I had a pair of Gortex trail running Nikes that I loved. Then Nike turned into more of a fashion brand - more concerned with celebrity athletes and the fashionable set - than making products that can handle the demands of everyday athletes like me.

I haven’t bought another pair of Nikes in over 5 years, but during that time I have bought Salomon, HOKA, On, and my latest obsession, Norda run. These brands make technical products that perform -and while some of them have cult followings - the quality on the trail has not diminished, nor have the vibrant technical communities that surround the products.

I’ve seen a lot of articles on the CEO change at Nike, what went wrong, and what might be next. As a past ardent Nike fan, avid runner, and someone who also designs customer experiences and customer strategy for a living, I see it this way.......

What went wrong:

🛑 I see this all the time right now, so it’s not just Nike (Starbucks, I’m looking at you): Nike over-indexed to digital and direct-to-consumer while simultaneously significantly pulling back from their traditional strategies.

🛑 Nike has a heritage of distribution and while they decided to deeply decrease shelf space with their traditional partners, they opened up slots for Hoka, On, and others to fill those premium shelf spaces - making it easier for us all to find and buy these brands.

🛑 The quality of the product decreased, and technical features did not keep pace with the market. My Nikes fell apart under normal wear and tear on the trail, while my Nordas take crazy abuse and have trail running advances that make them a choice for me even on technical runs above 12,000 ft.

🛑 The Nike communities have eroded as more athletes left for vibrant communities elsewhere. I used to be active on the Nike forums, and I even ran a few of their community challenges. Now, those communities are dead to me. I’d rather hang out with my tribe on other platforms where I can learn, grow, and get inspired.

🛑 Nike failed to compete on customer experience, which is ironic because they used to lead in this space. New entrants stepped right in and outcompeted them.

Last week in London, I had the pleasure of spending time at Gymshark, and their strategy perfectly highlights what went wrong at Nike, and what plagues so many successful companies:

When you get away from the strategy and the people who made you successful, when you abandon a winning strategy, and when you forget your roots, you are playing with fire.

One thing we all know: it is very hard and very expensive to win back a customer once they leave. Nike has a massive and expensive challenge ahead. I would never bet against the brand that I first laced up to compete in cross-country, but my heart, and my dollar, belong to other brands now.