What it is
The Epic React was new to the line in 2018, and the React launch was one of the platform's must-win projects for the year. The customization plan first carried it as "React by You", with the partner still open. A December 2017 menu lists it as an artist collaboration to be decided.
By the design review of February 8, 2018 the partners were running crews. There were five crews in five countries: PRRC in Seoul, AFE in Tokyo, One Crew in Hong Kong, Koreatown Run Club in Los Angeles, and Track Mafia with Patta in the United Kingdom. Each crew brought its own colors, logos and slogans. The AFE shoe drew on the Tokyo metro system. Patta and Track Mafia each wrote the story behind their palette. Buyers could choose from three midsole colors and add a crew logo or their own text. The lead design was held for the crew's own pairs.
Khounlavong had met Koreatown Run Club a year earlier. A Nike Running market trip to Los Angeles, February 27 to March 2, 2017, included a focus group and a run with the crew.
What Khounlavong did
- Programmed Run Crews in the studio tier, the top tier of the line, reserved for collaborations sold for a limited time.
- Moved the launch from May 3 to June 4 because the product was not ready, and recorded the reason in the concept map of April 3, 2018.
- Moved it back to May 10 two weeks later, in the map of April 17, 2018, with the story running to July 9.
- Placed the shoe in the summer 2018 member shop menu for North America at $180.
- Built the allocation in a workbook dated April 20, 2018. It split the Epic React and the crew shoe by color, by size and by geography, with a column for each crew city: London, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Korea.
Results
- $304K in total demand for the Epic React Run Crew launch in summer 2018, recorded in his official Nike year-end review.
- The same review lists a Patta collaboration at $96K on the next line.
- Listed as "React by Run Crews" in the Nike By You strategy update of August 2018, among the collaborations that drove new momentum in fiscal 2018.
At a glance
| Project type | Collaboration product launch |
|---|---|
| Industry | Athletic footwear, digital customization |
| Seat | Senior Merchandising Director, Nike By You (Global) |
| Ran through | Nike |
| Dates | Design review February 2018. In market from May 2018 |
| Scope | Five crews in Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, the United States and the United Kingdom |
| Related pages | Jimmy Khounlavong, Nike By You: a rebrand executed mid-flight, Nike+ member shop |
| Principal | Jimmy Khounlavong |