The Nike Air Max Dn is the company’s new sneaker at the forefront of this year’s Air Max Day campaign. For the past 10 years, Nike has built marketing campaigns surrounding their Air Max line, and on March 26th, sneakerheads will anxiously wait for the next model to release. But after the inaugural marketing campaign, many were left wondering how this shoe will perform. This case study explores the ins-and-outs of the Nike Air Max Dn, it's marketing campaign, and if the sneaker will sit or sell out upon it’s release.
The Secret Behind Nike's Dynamic Air
Unlike its predecessors, the Nike Air Max Dn is the first sneaker to feature Nike’s new technology, Dynamic Air – which provides “support through dynamic cushioning and a breathable upper, making for a shoe that moves with your body – not against it.”
Nike’s dynamic air features a four-tubed air unit that allows the capsules to move freely throughout the shoe. This differs from previous models such as the Nike Air Max 1, 90, 97, and others, where they have a solidified structure - making it comfortable, but not adaptive. Dynamic Air allows for the unit to shift when walking, giving you the smoothest impact and launch that you’ve ever experienced.
Along with Dynamic Air, the Nike Air Max Dn features a sleek, breathable upper that provides the greatest comfort and fascination. The brightly colored capsules create a strong contrast when paired with an all-black upper, creating the eye-pop when walking down the street. This sneaker is designed to get your attention, and Nike stressed this in their initial marketing campaign.
Factors Leading to a Successful Marketing Campaign
In 15 seconds, Nike displayed their entire strategy that educated and entertained their viewers. But why was this ad so effective? Let’s break it down:
- Stressed Short-Form Content: Nike’s target market for the Air Max Dn is dominantly directed at Millennials and Gen Z since most of the Air Max sales derive from these two generations. Nike realized this and intentionally delivered their messaging to platforms those generations use the most such as Instagram, TikTok, Twitter , and others.
- Effectively Displayed New Technology: Since this is the entire selling point of the shoe, Nike needed to nail this message– and that they did. The animated characters moving between the capsules perfectly illustrated Nike’s Dynamic Air. As they happily moved through the capsules, Nike also showed an interior view of the capsules to help customers visualize what they looked like on the inside.
- Answered the dying questions: Ever wondered what’s inside an Air Max sneaker? If so, then you’re probably like the millions of people who’ve searched this on YouTube within the past year. Hundreds of these videos exist, with most in the millions of views. However, this didn’t go unnoticed by Nike. The company capitalized on this trend by directly sharing with their customers with the Air Max DN really looks like within their ad.
The Lessons Learned From the Air Max DN Marketing Campaign
But where did this marketing campaign fall short? It had great visuals, stellar messaging, and effectively displayed its newest technology. However, this ad missed a few important factors that could have transcended the campaign's performance.
- Missed the Personalization: Since the Air Max Dn has a unique aesthetic, it’s difficult for customers to put themselves in the shoes (figuratively and literally). Nike usually features models within their video to make that initial connection, but since this is the first of its kind, it’s difficult for customers compare the Air Max Dn to anything else. Even if the sneaker is a phenomenal product, missing this aspect of a marketing deliverable creates a barrier that makes it difficult for customers to hurdle.
- Repurposed Messaging: The initial campaign featured recycled messages that hinted at previous models. Phrases such as “maxxed out motion” and “reactive sensation with every step” hint at sneakers like the Nike Vapormax (2017) and the Nike Element React 87 (2019). Both sneakers were great in their own right, but the Air Max Dn features technology that has never been used. Recycling messages can be an effective strategy when building a new marketing campaign, but it did not leave as great of impact as the phrased did in the past.
- Limited Color Palate: Nike’s choice to select the black and passionfruit colorway is a double-edged sword. It creates a great hook that reel in viewers and has them invested through the entirety of the video. However, this color palate isn’t the most wearable, and paired with a futuristic silhouette makes it even harder to convert marketing leads into conversions.
Final Verdict: Sit or Sell?
Nike is lightyears ahead of it competitors because they infuse the latest technology into their most signature sneakers. Luckily, this trend has been successful within the air max line, and has attributed to the soaring revenues Nike has collected every year.
With that said, because this sneaker pairs a breathable functionality with an eye-catching, the Nike Air Max Dn WILL SELL. It’s a great blend of fashion and function, which almost always converts well for big retailers such as Nike.
However, this sneaker will sit IF Nike oversaturates the market with this new shoe. Past sneaker models have exceled upon initial release, but their buzz quickly fell because of the saturation. From a business perspective, it’s no surprise Nike goes for the ‘strike it while its hot’ method. If Nike wishes to make the most amount of money possible, they will launch as many colorways as possible to maximize off their initial marketing campaigns. On the other hand, if Nike wishes to maximize the hype around the Air Max Dn, they will release the sneaker periodically. Whether it’s once or twice a month, lengthening the time of release dates keeps the excitement going. But regardless of whether this sneaker sit or sells, the marketing campaign for the Nike Air Max Dn was a tremendous success that should set them up well for their release on March 26th.
