What it is
After 18 years, NIKEiD was a beloved utility but not a business. Customization sat outside Nike's category offense, carried aging models and spoke to a narrow audience.
The platform needed a new name, a new position and a new commercial engine, all while the seasonal machine kept shipping.
What Khounlavong did
- Co-authored the rebrand strategy and contributed the consumer insight and the product and materials demand data that aimed it at the right consumer.
- Executed the reset of the line from always-on extensions to fewer, better, tiered product, and set a three-tier pricing framework in October 2017.
- Rebuilt the commercial model: new digital merchandising and product lifecycle models, a global launch calendar, and financial tooling that connected creative decisions to margin.
- Launched co-created product with Patta, Bodega, Pendleton and Kendrick Lamar, set the strategy for the Nigel Sylvester Air Force 1 that launched after his move to Los Angeles, and built the fiscal 2019 pipeline with CLOT and Heron Preston.
- Brought the ACG x Pendleton x Jay Gordon Mowabb to ComplexCon and Bodega Boston, on a calendar of about four months from concept to launch.
- Wired customization into the category line plans and the Nike membership offering, ending its status as a siloed product.
- Launched and merchandised the Nike member shop.
- Built the tools the function had never had: a financial comparison tool, a global broadcast deck, a visual launch calendar and a seasonal concept map.
- Merchandised the All the Stars of LA Air Force 1 for NBA All-Star 2018.
- Drove sole-swap innovation on the Heron Preston Air Max 720/95.
- Created the Cultivator influencer financial model, so that seeding and partnership ran as a measured commercial program.
- Started a monthly cross-functional Lunch and Learn series to develop future leaders.
- Worked back through factories, warehouses and outside partners on custom repackaging, numbered pairs and special deliveries.
- Led the Membership Programming and iD Integration workstream inside Nike Direct merchandising.
- Built the Pendleton material buy by yardage and minimums, the mechanism behind the materials reduction.
- Built the fall 2019 line plan framework, a planning tool with targets by tier.
- Extended the pipeline to Pensole, Maharishi and Swarovski.
Results
- Grew the platform to $181M, delivering 30% fiscal 2018 global revenue growth across Nike By You and the Nike.com and direct integration it powered.
- Excess materials cut 34%, a $2M reduction.
- One brand, unified from a legacy platform.
- Member shop: $5.4M in demand, 22,200 units, 46% sell-through.
- Beat budget by 15% on the year.
- Project demand in fiscal 2018: Born Mercurial $1.7M, NBA by Air Force 1 $1.3M, NBA Hyperlocal City $558K, Epic React by Run Crews $304K, Air Max Day $216K, the Mowabb $149K, Patta $96K.
- 7.3M product page visits through the Nike+ membership offering.
- The winter premium pack with Pendleton wools produced $2.5M and 19,400 units, 188% over budget.
- The Metcon 4 launch produced $1.1M and 8,000 units in its first month, 194% over budget.
- The Pegasus Shield produced $1M and 6,900 units.
- The Kobe jersey retirement Air Force 1 sold about 1,000 units and sold out overnight.
- Holiday delivery carried 83,964 guaranteed orders, with 4 late.
At a glance
| Project type | Rebrand strategy and global merchandising |
|---|---|
| Industry | Athletic footwear, digital customization |
| Seat | Senior Merchandising Director, Nike By You |
| Ran through | Nike |
| Dates | July 2017 to September 2018 |
| Scope | Global, four geographies |
| Related pages | Jimmy Khounlavong |
| Principal | Jimmy Khounlavong |