Project + Exec is a new series where I’ve decided to seek out footwear executives who are minorities (Black, Latino, Indian, Native American, Asian men and women) who are doing some dope work, but are being overlooked by the larger media outlets. It’s my small part. I really hope you look more into the brands and people behind them.
What exactly is a “Specialty”? Marc Patrick has been placed at the helm of a category for Nike that is in a time of transition. Nike is a machine and advertising is their specialty. They create stories that carry history and the future of the brand, forward. This is a seemingly easy task as all it requires is finding the next young athlete and placing them on the roster; create a backstory that is compelling and then design footwear and apparel and share it with the fans of those athletes. What happens however when the roster of athletes in particular categories are aging or are taking a backseat to athletes promoted by other brands? What happens when there are athletes on the roster in categories who are young and ready to take the next step, but there is a history there with another athlete? You get almost a Zeus vs Cronos situation. The young person vs time.
Marc Patrick is taking on the position of Global Brand Director of Specialty Categories which includes NikeSB, Golf and Tennis. Three categories for Nike that are being challenged considerably by Under Armour and Jordan Spieth, Supra and DC in skate against Nike SB and their aging roster featuring P Rod and Steph Janoski, and in tennis the GOAT has taken a step back and become a mother, but the question is do you begin to promote the heir apparent in Sloane Stephens when she is not exactly killing it?
While these sports are niche markets and aren’t typically generating the type of interest in footwear and apparel as the NFL and NBA athletes do, golf, tennis and skate provide a larger market as the footwear there isn’t as expensive and tends to be more readily accessible. The Nike SB line has a price range of 60-120 dollars making it a considerable amount of shoe releases by the brand. The footwear is both retro in appeal and less technical which means that more people are likely to pick up a pair of skate or tennis shoes than basketball kicks. Nike is in the process of working with upstarts like Sean Malto and Kevin Bradley, but those athletes don’t have the same name recognition as P Rod and Steph. The balancing act in continuing to introduce the next generation and paying homage to the OGs creates opportunity and conflict.
Golf may be dwindling in viewership, but with Under Armour owning the top ranked golfer in the world Spieth reaches a market that is both young and old. What’s really interesting is that Marc Patrick is taking on the Global Brand director position at time when Tiger Woods appears to be healthy and ready to make a run for the most titles. This creates an interesting conflict for Nike as they signed Jason Day who appeared to be Tiger’s replacement. I guess this can be seen as a blessing for Nike in a sense that in each of these specialty categories there is a narrative of time that can be utilized; especially when it comes to the greatest athlete of all time in Serena Williams.
At a moment when Serena should be highlighted as the image of motherhood and sport and the ability of women to rebound and continue to push forward, Nike has to also make sure that they don’t ignore the roster of women tennis players who have a longer future than the GOAT. Once again tennis isn’t a major seller of footwear and athletic apparel, but it’s not the fact that these women sell shoes, it’s that they create an aspirational identity for girls. That aspirational connection is what makes a kid choose a cheap Nike shoe at “Shoe City” vs a cheap “other brand” at Shoe City. In other words, the stories that are going to be told about Serena as she regains her form could overshadow the stories Nike has to create for the next generation which leaves the brand in a similar position they had to deal with in golf when we had mugshot Tiger as the face of Nike Golf allowing Under Armour to swoop in and grab Jordan Spieth (and they also had Sloan Stephens at one point).
Why is Marc Patrick Important?
Nike’s stock price hasn’t been higher, but the company is embroiled in a diversity and workplace scandal. Traditional sports are no longer the lone drivers behind footwear sales. Niche sports like golf and tennis need Tiger and Serena, but as they begin to transition as Kobe did in basketball, Nike is unable to focus on their newer athletes because those stories aren’t as compelling. NikeSB has been in decline for years and many kids who love skate are moving towards Ninja Warrior and Parkour as well as MMA and Crossfit. All sports that are currently open as far as building the global brand, but not one of these sports does Nike have a recognizable athlete. Under Armour has Jessie Graff in Ninja Warrior and by default they have access to Parkour. MMA and Boxing is dominated by Under Armour as well (they aren’t utilizing these two niche areas at all, but they have them). Crossfit has a Reebok label, but Nike’s work on the Metcon has been very strong, there isn’t a direct affiliation there though. This leaves tennis where Nike still has the most compelling story, but nothing really in the wings.
As the CDO and e-commerce push via NDC, SNKRS and Nike Plus begins to diminish in growth in the next year or two, Nike will need to continue to show that they can grow sectors. Nike Specialty is a growth area and will be more important than many understand.
Marc Patrick may not be on any lists for top executives, but at his feet is one of the most daunting tasks for the Swoosh and I hope he can use his 20 years of experience to be successful. He’s definitely a Project + Exec to know.