NikePlus in Brazil

In Brazil, Nike has to break some sweat to gain a following, a totally opposite phenomenon than in the U.S., where Nike fandom oftentimes gets a little ridiculous when any new collaboration is released. For nerds like us here at JoshSpear.com who write about trends, we find it fascinating to see how the mechanism of branding works for established companies outside of their home countries "” especially when it’s different than what’s been executed before.

My interest piqued when I recently took up an invitation to attend a 10 km runner’s race to experience first-hand what Nike is doing to push their NikePlus kit here in Sao Paulo. Inside a massive-sized tent they built especially for this event were Nike Plus shoes and Web-connected computers surrounded by large billboards of scenes from the city, including graffiti and a stand filled with snacks, in a mock representation of a runner’s journey in the city when he/she goes out to bust 5 km before work. Visitors hung out in the tent, eating and having their Nike Plus kits set up. Nike filmed the entire experience, from tent to run, and edited it in a way that made it more than just a commercial but a storytelling of the morning’s events, and put the vid on YouTube. I also like the more straight commercial here, which showcases some of the city’s great graffiti — albeit with a cheesy soundtrack — and you can also check out the photostream over at Flickr, if stills are more your style.