Nike doesn’t just sell products. They sell a story. A vision. A belief. And they’ve mastered how to take that belief and turn it into a marketing funnel that attracts millions of customers.
Heck, that’s why they own up to 62% of the athletic footwear market in the United States.
Their marketing isn’t random. It’s a machine designed to guide consumers from noticing their brand to turning into loyal, repeat customers.
In this article, I will be breaking down Nike’s marketing funnel with takeaways you can apply to your own campaigns.
Enjoy and happy marketing!
Nike’s Top of the Funnel
The awareness stage is the very top of the marketing funnel. It’s where potential customers first discover your brand.
At this point, they may not be actively looking to buy shoes, sportswear, or fitness apps—they’re simply getting exposed to Nike as an idea, a story, or a feeling.
For Nike, awareness isn’t just about selling products. It’s about sparking inspiration, creating cultural moments, and making sure that when someone thinks “sports,” “fitness,” or “motivation,” Nike is top of mind.
Why Awareness Matters at The Top of The Funnel
- First impressions shape brand perception: People decide quickly whether a brand resonates with them. Nike ensures that the first impression is emotional and inspiring.
- It sets the stage for consideration and conversion: If customers don’t know about you, they can’t consider or buy from you later.
- It builds cultural dominance: By embedding itself in sports and popular culture, Nike becomes more than a shoe company—it becomes a lifestyle.
Nike’s genius is in building awareness not through product specs, but through emotional branding, storytelling, and cultural impact.
Examples of Nike’s Top of The Funnel Marketing
The “Just Do It” Slogan: A Cultural Movement
Source: Krows Digital
Launched in 1988, “Just Do It” turned Nike from a sportswear company into a household name. It’s simple, universally understood, and taps into human psychology—overcoming excuses and taking action.
Within a decade of launching the campaign, Nike increased its market share from 18% to 43% and amassed $9.2 billion in sales from 1988 and 1998. Think about that impact!
How can you apply this? Create a rallying cry that your customers can see themselves in, not just a product tagline. Something that they can remember and resonate with on a deeper level.
Celebrity Partnerships: Air Jordan & Beyond
Michael Jordan’s Nike partnership in 1984 revolutionized athlete endorsements. Air Jordans became a cultural phenomenon ever since. Heck, I even own a pair!
Nike has built long-term relationships with Serena Williams, Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, Tiger Woods, and many others.
Why does this work in marketing? Associating with top athletes transfers their authority and trust onto Nike’s brand. It also creates loyal fan bases who buy into the lifestyle.
In fact, Jordan Brand drives over $7 billion in annual revenue for Nike.
Consider how you can leverage the audience of other influencers and creators in your own industry. Can you give them a free product to review? A lifetime subscription to your software? This is an effective way to get your business in front of a large, targeted audience fast.
Digital Campaigns: Reaching Billions Online
Nike isn’t all about commercials and slogans. They have an impressive online marketing presence.
For example, Nike’s “You Can’t Stop Us” (2020) featured a split-screen edit of athletes across different sports and cultures. It gained 40+ million views in its first week!
That’s not to mention Nike’s Instagram, which is one of the most followed brand accounts in the world (300M+ followers), focused on athlete storytelling rather than product pushing.
Another key part of Nike’s digital marketing strategy is that, instead of running ads that feel like ads, they tell mini-stories that make viewers stop, share, and remember.
Nike consistently tops rankings for digital brand engagement in sportswear, and it’s easy to see why.
Nike’s Middle of the Funnel
The consideration stage is the middle of the marketing funnel. This is where awareness turns into action.
At this point, people know who Nike is, but they’re weighing options. Should they buy Nike or Adidas? Do they need Nike shoes, or will a cheaper brand work?
This is where Nike doubles down on value-driven marketing. Instead of shouting “buy now,” they nurture relationships by teaching, inspiring, and showcasing real-world proof of their products in action.
Why the Consideration Stage Matters
- Bridge between awareness and sales: Without it, all that top-of-funnel attention fades away.
- Trust builder: Giving value before asking for a purchase makes Nike the brand customers want to buy from.
- Differentiator: Competitors can copy shoe designs, but they can’t copy Nike’s ecosystem of content, community, and credibility.
Nike wins at this stage by focusing on education, community, and social proof.
Examples of Nike’s Middle of The Funnel Marketing
Nike Training Club App
This is a free app that offers guided workouts, training plans, and expert tips. Instead of being just a brand that sells gear, Nike becomes your digital coach.
During the 2020 lockdowns, Nike was able to get millions of downloads on its mobile app.
Think about what content or tools you can give away for free that actually improve your customers’ lives. This builds a deeper connection with them while aligning with your products or services.
There’s a big movement right now where businesses are using AI tools to code mobile apps, software, and other products that can be offered for free or sold. Just something to consider.
Nike’s Bottom of the Funnel
The conversion stage is the bottom of the funnel where curiosity transforms into a sale. At this point, a customer is ready to buy, but Nike’s job is to make that decision irresistible.
It’s about closing the loop: taking someone who’s been inspired by a campaign, engaged with an app, or motivated by a story, and making the buying process so compelling that it feels like the only choice is Nike.
Why the Conversion Stage Matters
- Revenue driver: Awareness and consideration mean nothing if people don’t purchase.
- Competitive edge: The sportswear market is crowded — Nike has to stand out at the point of decision.
- Long-term growth: Every purchase is the gateway to loyalty and repeat sales.
Nike excels here with scarcity, personalization, and technology-driven convenience.
Examples of Nike’s Bottom of The Funnel
Here are examples of how Nike converts people into paying customers and how you can apply similar tactics.
The SNKRS App & Scarcity Marketing
This is pretty cool. SNKRS is Nike’s exclusive sneaker release app, where drops often sell out in minutes.
Why does it work? Scarcity and urgency. People feel they have to act fast or miss out forever.
You can apply this strategy in your bottom funnel marketing by using limited-time offers, exclusive launches, or early access to increase perceived value.
Personalized E-Commerce Experience
Personalization is huge in e-commerce and marketing in general. In fact, 90% of marketers say they have a positive return by personalizing experiences.
How does Nike incorporate this? Firstly, with product recommendations based on browsing history, location, and past purchases.
They further optimize customers’ shopping experience with a smooth checkout flow, fast page speed, and intuitive navigation.
This works because it removes friction. Customers feel Nike “knows” them and makes shopping easy.
You can apply this to your business by using data to personalize product recommendations and streamline checkout. There are also tools like Salesforce that can help with this process.
Omnichannel Retail: Online Meets In-Store
Nowadays, it’s not enough to be active on a single channel. You must be found everywhere. Nike understands this and blends physical and digital shopping experiences.
You can buy online, pick up in-store, return anywhere, scan in-store to see product reviews and sizes. They even have the Nike app to check out via mobile.
This is effective because shoppers don’t just buy shoes or clothing—they experience the brand in a futuristic way. A way that’s remembered and shared.
Furthermore, Nike is active on platforms like its website, social media, paid advertising, and email.
Loyalty Stage: How Nike Keeps Customers Coming Back
The loyalty stage happens after the purchase. A customer has already converted, but the question is, will they buy again, or move on to a competitor?
Nike’s strategy here is instead treating a sale as the finish line, they treat it as the starting line for a deeper relationship.
Why Loyalty Matters
- Retention is cheaper than acquisition: It costs far less to keep a customer than to find a new one.
- Loyalty creates predictable revenue: Returning customers form the backbone of Nike’s massive DTC growth.
- Habit loops build long-term brand power: When your brand becomes part of a customer’s daily routine, switching is nearly impossible.
Nike’s Loyalty Playbook
These are some of the strategies and tactics Nike uses to increase loyalty that you can leverage.
Nike Membership Program
An important part of Nike’s loyalty strategy is through a free program with perks like early product access, member-only drops, birthday rewards, and exclusive content.
People feel like insiders. Scarcity + exclusivity = loyalty.
Nike reports that members spend 3x more than non-members, so we know it works and keep customers coming back.
Think about how you can create a valuable offer that would entice customers to sign up or stay connected to your brand.
For example, an email newsletter with a discount code incentive is a common and effective tactic.
Habit-Forming Apps (Training Club & Run Club)
Nike turns working out into a daily brand touchpoint. Every run tracked, every workout completed, is associated with Nike.
These apps and offerings are about lifestyle. By building tools people depend on, Nike keeps itself top of mind.
Millions of active app users globally form a massive community that lives inside Nike’s ecosystem.
Wrapping Up Nike’s Marketing Funnel
Phew. That’s a lot! Nike’s marketing funnel is complex and incredibly effective. As marketers and entrepreneurs, there are plenty of lessons we can learn from them to improve our own marketing efforts.
Here’s a breakdown of the main takeaways from this article:
Need help with your marketing? Schedule a free consultation with me to discuss how we can work together to drive growth!
