Nike+
Launched in June of 2006, the Nike+ system has been called one of the most successful social experience sites on the internet. The Nike+ website offers users a method to track their personal running progress, but more importantly, it creates an outlet for people to connect around their passion.
In July 2007, I participated in the Nike+ Summit at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. I and eleven other runners from across the US were selected because we were knowledgeable, savvy, early adopters of the Nike+ system. We met with product developers and designers from Nike, Apple, and R/GA to share our insights about the positive elements and the flaws in the system. Based on my professional background, and my familiarity with the Nike+ system, I was uniquely positioned within the group to speak for Nike+ users in general, and the under 30 market in particular.
During the summit, the Nike+ team expressed an interest in becoming more relevant in the digital space, especially among the youth market. With those interests in mind, I put together a strategic document outlining a series of ideas and tactics that I believe would strengthen the presence of Nike+ in the youth market. A copy of the presentation is available for download in .pdf format here.