Nike late this year will launch Alpha, "a new product
line it claims will market the most innovative of its
footwear, apparel and sports equipment," according to Jeff
Jensen of AD AGE. Alpha's launch will be backed by "a
significant portion of Nike's" '98 media budget, and will
represent 20% of Nike's product mix starting in '99. Alpha
has as its symbol an expanded ellipsis of five dots, but
Nike "hasn't determined" how the symbol will be used in ads.
New technologies and innovations will be introduced through
the Alpha line before being introduced into swoosh and ACG
products. Nike will introduce Alpha shoes with four new
footwear technologies in December. Jensen reports that Nike
"expects the Alpha line to" give it a premium-priced line it
can sell exclusively through specialty retailers. This may
allow Nike to sell swoosh products "in channels such as mass
merchants." Jensen adds that Alpha "also gives Nike a new
way to talk about itself" (AD AGE, 2/9 issue).
PAY-LE? Pele has complained that Nike, through its deal
with the Brazilian national team, "is forcing" it to play
"unnecessary" exhibition games and that "its millions are
being siphoned into the corrupt coffers of the Brazilian
Football Confederation." Pele: "The federation got a lot of
money from Nike, but no one knows how it is being used."
But Nike's European spokesperson Keith Peters replied, "Pele
has become a politician" (BUSINESS WEEK, 2/9 issue).
