NIKE RUNNING
Driving Nike’s running comeback strategy
A research program that clarified the runners who mattered most—and rebuilt Nike’s running offer around the benefits they actually needed.
Running business grew 20%+ year over year
Vomero 18 became a $100m franchise in 90 days
01 / BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Make Nike the running brand that runners choose again.
By 2022, Nike had lost its advantage in running—the sport that generated its highest revenue. Brooks, Hoka, and On were steadily taking footwear share, while Nike’s running offer had become harder for runners to navigate. The new Running GM needed a clear view of the consumers who mattered most, why Nike was losing them, and where to act first.
Key Research Questions
Who are the key runner segments, and what do they need across gear, shopping, and brand?
Why is Nike’s running business declining with its target consumers?
What can Nike do now to reconnect with these segments and lead again?
02 / METHODOLOGY
Defining consumer targets and key benefits
01
Build Segmentation
Analyzed quantitative segmentation data to define runners within key segments. We needed to understand the attitudinal and behavioral differences between target consumers.
02
Contextualize Quant
Conducted run-alongs and global interviews to dimensionalize runners, identify their needs and evaluate how Nike faired against the competition.
03
Prioritize benefits
MaxDiff surveys revealed how runners ranked footwear benefits across Nike and competitors—clarifying where Nike’s offer had become muddy and overlapping.
03 / INSIGHTS + OUTCOMES
Nike’s running offer was diluted and confusing.
Across segments, runners encountered a complex product line with muddied, overlapping benefits. Frequent model changes and discontinued favorites created frustration rather than confidence. The research aligned leadership around a simpler product story: three consumer-right benefit pillars that made finding the right running gear feel clear again.
20%+
year-over-year growth in Nike’s running business, accelerating from single-digit growth
$100m
Vomero 18 franchise created within 90 days of launch
Insights + Research | Turning complexity into clarity
John Douglass