So tonight the Boston Niketown Running Club is having a special event for the 10th Anniversary of the store. The running club has been around for almost as long, and I’ve logged close to 400 miles with them, even though I’ve only been 2 or 3 times in the past 3 years.
The running club is another example of excellent marketing. Wednesdays just before 7 people meet and go out in groups for a run around Boston, a great town to run in with pathways around the river Charles. Runners get snacks and water when they return. It’s free and you get to meet like minded runners and of course, you are hanging out in the store every week.
There’s no sales activity going on at all, yet when I go to the gym now I notice I have Nike shoes, shirt and shorts, all in this high tech stuff that is lighter and more comfortable than cotton.
I’m also addicted to the Nike+ system, and would like to invite an runners that would be interested in doing a marketing race (or perhaps a fatblogging challenge?). My only complaint about Nike+ is that there were some photos leaked back in the spring about some new watches that would be able to control the Nano. This is a desperately needed feature, the clothes with integrated pockets are cool but it makes it difficult to skip tracks, change volume, etc. The instruction manual has been updated to talk about remotes, but no devices yet. Engadget said maybe by summer, I’ll be in line outside the store as soon as I hear about it.
Of course if it had integrated GPS, and heart rate monitor I’d pay $500 for that, but if I was marketing that I’d do it as a multi-year roll out.
