The Campaign

Three key trend setting trends drove our idea: Experiential Consumption: Trend setters actively seek experiences. For them online is for research, the highstreet is for destination experiences. They want to be inspired, stimulated, educated and most of all WOWED. The Cult of Me: Chinese youth don't want to conform and be part of the masses any longer, they love being able to express their individuality. Broadcast Selfie: Snackable mobile video platforms are booming in China, led by the rise of WeChat’s sights (8” clips), the latest way for influencers and trend setters to show their friends and their networks that they were there.

Creative Execution

We created the Digital-henge installation concept: 9 double-sided massive LED screens, featuring slow motion content of 18 athletes, set up as an immersive walk through exhibition. In the center we built a video booth to enable youth to express themselves by creating their own slow motion video whilst trying on the Tech Pack. Trend setters needed to become Nike Members to access this service. Shot in black & white with the Nike tag line added at the end of the film, trend setters received an 8” slow motion video to their WeChat feed to share out to their networks. We promoted the installation as a cultural experience in Beijing listings media. As well as inviting down influencers and KOLs to create and broadcast their Tech Pack slow motion WeChat films.

Nike’s Digital Henge became the must be seen at selfie destination experience. Over ten days the installation had over half a million visitors. The mobile video trial booth could take 1 visitor per 3 mins, resulting in 1,400 slow motion films being made. This was Nike weaponising their influencers, arming them with mobile social content to reach out to their networks. The experience was seamless, from becoming a Nike member, to trialing the product to influencing their network. This hype translated into sales, with Nike landing their best sales figures ever for a product this premium. Nike’s Digital Henge was showcased at the Nike global board for directors summit as an example of “best in class” marketing globally.

Although the absolute no.1 in sportswear, Nike has a long way to go when it comes to the luxury athleisure trend. To take on luxury in a country that's obsessed with LV and Chanel, Nike needs to create a disruptive experience in a Nike way for the luxury consumers in China. So it born Nike Digital Henge, an experience-led campaign in the luxury epicenter of China, integrating outdoor, interactive digital, social, mobile and retail experience. The campaign fueled record sales figure for a line this premium at Nike, and was showcased globally at Nike as the best-in-class case.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Sanlitun, Beijing is the epi-center for Chinese luxury fashion. It is home to the Nike flagship store. To get consumers to reframe Nike on athleisure, we needed to do something unique to disrupt the shopping experience in Sanlitun. And if we were to upstage the brands that call Sanlitun their home, we had to do it in a way that was typically Nike. Inspiring trend setters to trial the product and then enabling them to influence their network. The idea was to create a pinnacle installation designed to showcase the latest Tech Pack sports style innovation in an epic, interactive and stylish way. Attracting influencers and trend setters to amplify that Tech Pack as the latest must have style via mobile.