Nike on Tuesday named Head of Global Strategy & Development ADAM SUSSMAN the company's first Chief Digital Officer, a "key part" of the company's effort to hit $50B in sales by FY '20, according to Matthew Kish of the PORTLAND BUSINESS JOURNAL. Sussman has been with the company since '14 and will report to Nike Brand President TREVOR EDWARDS. Sussman is "charged with building out the company's digital ecosystem, including Nike.com and Nike+." Sussman has "worked for various companies, including EA Mobile and Disney Interactive." He joined Nike from social gaming company Zynga (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/9). FOOTWEAR NEWS' Sheena Butler-Young wrote Nike has "focused much of its investments over the last several years in digital and mobile." Nike CEO MARK PARKER in Q2 noted that the company "added Canada, Switzerland and Norway to its growing list of e-commerce markets." In the current quarter, Parker said that he "would add Mexico, Turkey and Chile to the list, as global digital growth remains a priority for Nike" (FOOTWEARNEWS.com, 2/10). MARKETING magazine's Shona Ghosh noted Nike has "cemented digital partnerships, teaming up with DreamWorks to speed up its 3D printing process and exploring ways to make" individual customization possible. Nike is also "investing in digital services, using its Nike Training Club platform to gather data on consumers' habits and target with relevant products" (MARKETINGMAGAZINE.co.uk, 2/10).
GAME OF THRONES: THE DRUM's Seb Joseph noted to most casual observers, Nike "sits at the forefront of digital innovation, certainly among its peers." But "scratch at the perfectly stitched surface and its clear to see why" it appointed a chief digital officer. Brands such as Under Armour in the U.S. are "playing Nike at their own game and making gains quickly." UA has been "ploughing serious funds into the wearable space, an area Nike exited" in '14 "having pioneered years before" the market had exploded. Nike is "reinventing itself as a service design company rather than apparel brand," which will take it into markets where consumers, "weaned on services such as Uber and Airbnb, expect more." Given China's "emergence as one of the most connected markets, a robust digital strategy could turn it into a key driver for Nike's future revenues as it became the fastest growing region for the business in the six months to last November" (THEDRUM.com, 2/10).
