*Each Monday, Prophet’s Chief Curator and Provocateur, Andy Stefanovich, or a member of our innovation team* shares a Monday on-ramp with Prophet employees across the globe. We’ll begin sharing them here, and encourage you to join the conversation by answering questions and providing your own comments below. Happy Monday!
It’s that time of year again – the Bowl Championship Series. Many of us spent New Years weekend watching the top teams in college football face off in the culmination of the season. These games are more than just a battleground for athletic ability; they are a showcase in the latest innovations in performance apparel.
One particularly interesting team to keep your eye on in the Rose Bowl was the Oregon Ducks, whose partnership with Nike is one of the strongest and most effective in sports and marketing. Oregon gives Nike license to design some of the most outspoken uniforms in football — with bold color combinations more conservative teams would never allow – utilizing the latest in Nike’s technology.
Nike unveiled its newly developed uniforms for the Oregon Ducks this week, heralding them as “the most advanced football uniform system ever assembled.” The Ducks will be sporting a brand new Chain Maille technology to make the uniform breathable, tough, and lightweight. There are eleven different materials in the Nike Pro Combat uniform (jersey and pant), and 16 different materials in the complete system of dress – each to address the specific needs of the athlete in game situations. Perhaps the coolest and most notable part of the uniform will be the numbers – which feature an iridescent sheen made to look like real duck feathers that change color when in motion.
Nike’s innovative design coupled with the Duck’s “quacky” style has earned the Ducks a reputation for having the most dynamic uniforms in the game. Oregon Football is one of the most powerful marketing tools for Nike, and Nike’s designs are the topic of discussion whenever the Ducks are sporting something new. Nike’s partnership has also helped build a stronger brand for the Ducks, as the most stylish and well equipped team in college football.
What sports partnerships do you see as most effective? Share a couple of your thoughts here.
*This week’s on-ramp was brought to you by Michael Filippi in our San Francisco office.
