What it is
N7 is the Nike program whose stated mission was to inspire movement for Native youth. Wings of America is an organization that works with Native communities and uses running to help Native youth take pride in themselves and their cultural identity.
Khounlavong's notes from the New York market travel of December 2016 list Wings of America and the Hopi cross country championships under richer, hyperlocal storytelling. Seven weeks later the focus group took place in Portland, Oregon, on February 2, 2017.
What Khounlavong did
- Led the focus group. His fiscal 2017 review lists "N7 Focus group leadership" among his third quarter work.
- Brought together sixteen runners aged 14 to 18, from across the United States.
- Opened with why they ran. The answers were about team and competition. One runner described crossing the finish line as the feeling of having done something right.
- Recorded what running meant to them as Native athletes. One said that to others it was just a sport, and to them it was a way of life. Another called Indian running a form of prayer.
- Recorded how they bought shoes. About three quarters ran in Nike, with the Pegasus and the Structure most popular. Half thought about price when buying. Average spend was under $100. Support and durability came first, and one runner needed traction for trails in New Mexico.
- Put unreleased product in front of them. The Vaporfly was the top pick, called light and responsive. The speckled sole of the Pegasus Shield was a hit. The VaporMax was said to look like cleats.
- Reduced the session to three takeaways: they want to feel celebrated, performance outweighs style, and Native running is a lifestyle.
Results
- The session produced three N7 product ideas: a Pegasus at $110 as their go-to shoe with a new story, a Zoom Fly at $150 as their new favorite, and a Free Run Motion at $150, with storytelling through suede, moc and beading.
- The recap deck reached its third version on February 23, 2017.
- The documents do not show whether the three ideas went into production.
At a glance
| Project type | Consumer focus group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Athletic footwear |
| Seat | North America Footwear Merchandising Director, Men's Running |
| Ran through | Nike |
| Dates | February 2, 2017 |
| Location | Portland, Oregon |
| Related pages | Jimmy Khounlavong, Nike Men's Running, North America: a $1B business in a contracting category |
| Principal | Jimmy Khounlavong |