Nike Sites

I think its important to look closely at Nike and see how they've adapted their brand to a number of different sports and how they've since become arguably the most dominant brand within the worlds most popular sports.

What do they do visually? Does design for Nike Golf look the same as Nike soccer (I'll have to refer to football as soccer as to not cause any confusion between american football and our football, American swines.)

Website:

The main site below.... Main image is for soccer however the background image is of an American footy pitch, showing these to be the two main aspects of the brand?

Basketball...

Obviously a large and popular sport, more so in the USA than anything. Most of the basketball stuff is based around the iconic / great players that Nike sponsor / endorse. This shown on the page for Nike Basketball (more so than the other sites). Its all just very 'American' / commercial. Glossy look, strong type / slogans.

American Football...

Dark, less focus on specific players but more on ability / teams. Again strong type used for inspirational quotes, 'Dont be Afraid. Be great'

Golf...

Strong focus on products this time, advertising clubs and what not. Again the dark background, big type, big message, 'Proven Method' assuring quality.

Soccer...

Showing the changing screen here for the real football. This is the site that most stands out to me, the full bleed image spanning the screen, mixture of product selling / well thought slogans, taglines / sponsored and endorsed players. The biggest sport that Nike caters for.

Running...

I like this site, different feel to the others, but again use of big type for a deep / inspirational quote or tagline. The selling / showing of products, photograph in centre, design around the photo appropriate to the 'urban' aspect of the sport.

Charity / Nine Million...

This is a completely different aspect to Nike, but one of the main links on the menu. Their charity, Ninemillion. Showing A pleasant different side to Nike. Fairly standard 'corporate' website though.

At first I thought it might be a matter of each sport having quite a unique look, having a specific look to it. However it's more of a set of identity's. All abiding to the same set of rules, some not following all but essentially it goes like this...

. Image / photograph of sport

. Photograph of big sports star sponsored by nike

. Inspirational tag-line or quote

. Images of new products

. Images appropriate to the sport, e.g. snowboarding - snow / mountain.

Thats the ingredients to a Nike cake.