Nike will begin testing a connected shoe this week that will build upon their technology in fan NBA jerseys and unlock perks for NikePlus members.
The company announced Wednesday that NikePlus members in New York City will be able to purchase Nike’s first-ever connected sneaker, called AF1 NikeConnect QS NYC, via the Nike SNKRS app.
A near-field communication (NFC) chip embedded into the shoe will activate exclusive members-only opportunities when scanned with a user’s smartphone. Among the primary opportunities will be access to a program called “The Choice,” which gamifies the shoe-buying experience by offering users access to hot footwear drops around the city. When scanning the chip, users will be shown two products but will only be able to choose one. Members will also gain access to exclusive events in NYC and content.
The experience is being built upon NikeConnect, the apparel company’s platform for connected products that featured its first physical product with the launch of NBA jerseys this past season.
With the jerseys, fans could scan NFC chips to access members-only events; product offers for gear and tickets; and content, such as access about player statistics based on the jersey and Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James-inspired Apple Music playlists. Fans wearing the jersey of Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant, for example, could tap into Durant’s latest stats, highlights and broader Warriors highlights and content.
It’s an important distinction that these new Nike shoes aren’t connected in the sense that they’ll track user workouts, such as the Under Armour HOVR connected shoe, which feature a chip with an accelerometer that can automatically detect when a user has started to run to measure their distance, pace and cadence.
Rather, Nike’s connected sneakers represent an attempt to better engage its online community, particularly those who have signed up for NikePlus memberships. A Nike spokesperson said the shoe not only marks the first time that connected tech will be featured in Nike footwear, but also, importantly, illustrates Nike’s “focus on using technology and innovation to better serve NikePlus members with personalized opportunities.”
“Connected Nike products let us serve NikePlus members holistically across content, commerce and coaching in a way that is way more personal and valuable to them,” Nike said. “The growth opportunity for a global ecosystem of connected Nike products is exciting and will continue to expand.”
Get The Latest Sports Tech News In Your Inbox!
SportTechie Takeaway:
The new connected sneakers from Nike, and other connected apparel products from athletic apparel brands such as Under Armour and Reebok, represent an effort to adopt technology to engage their customer bases. These companies have been doubling down on technology over the past several years, adopting connected experiences, from exclusive content to workout trackers, and using high-tech manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing (Reebok, Adidas and Under Armour all recently committed to expanding their 3D printing efforts), to compete against one another beyond their core markets of traditional apparel and footwear.
Nike has long been ahead of the curve in trying to connect users to its brand via technology, and has partnered with Apple to pursue these efforts for more than a decade. In 2006 the company launched Nike+iPod Sports Kit, which was an activity tracker that could communicate with the iPod via a small transmitter attached in a Nike shoe. Several years later it launched the Apple Watch Nike+ Edition that could track runs, heart rate levels and other activity from a device strapped around users’ wrists.
The NikeConnect platform is part of the brand’s efforts to build an online community and attract members with exclusive experiences and products. Through the Nike Running Club and Nike Training Club Apps, it now offers members access to unique services, such as guided runs via the Headspace meditation app, and rewards them points for working out that they can redeem for discounts for certain Apple, Nike and other products. Its SNKRS app is an attempt to engage the community of sneaker fans by gamifying the sneaker-hunting and buying process with an app that unlocks popup opportunities in major cities. The AF1 NikeConnect QS NYC shoe is a test for more connected physical apparel by Nike, as the company undoubtedly pursues additional ways to connect the digital and physical worlds around their products.