With the code implanted in the tongue, Adidas have created a virtual 3-D world that can be accessed using a future line of five men’s sneakers. The project presents 3 games through AR, one based on music, one on Star Wars and one a skating game.

I believe AR has the potential to create cost effective luxury, as mentioned in the piece I wrote on the 16th Nov luxury is now about a unique and personalised experience, something that very limited numbers have access to, AR offers this in abundance – the potential personalised shopping experience in Liberties collating previous purchase and research information (linked to behavioural targeting within the Liberties site and the dwell times identified through AR whilst in store) to potential Nike tie Ups with artists that create limited editions only to be seen using AR.

As mentioned AR offers cost effective exclusivity maintaining or creating a brands luxury and high end appeal, massive amounts of buzz, as in the case of the potential artist and trainer tie up where the concept could be one in a hundred are limited edition, but only your webcam will tell you and for the store the potential to up sell without the overheads of one sales assistant to one consumer, leveraging knowledge not only from previous purchases but from research made by the consumer on the stores website – all in all we like AR.

Launching first online and then Blue Ray, Nike’s new SK8 film looks fantastic on my laptop.

By partnering with Adobe’s Experience Design watching on your PC/laptop does the 30 minute video absolute justice, click on the image below and check it out:

Dell recently posted on their blog how to build a business plan for small businesses, a really nice use of social media as they’re providing something of real use to their target audience and demonstrating their credentials in this sphere, something a potential customer wants to know when investing in a product.

There are far too many brands using social media to push their products rather than harnessing this conversational medium, adding to the user experience and showcasing their knowledge e.g. Nike offering hourly advice on nutrition when training for a long distance run through Twitter. This could extend to a full hourly training schedule for the user, bolstered with the inclusion of followers tweeting with their recommendations. A community that offers real value, is essential to the individual in training and the opportunity for Nike to promote products in a less cynical environment e.g. Today’s weather in London is wet check out Nike’s microfibre running suite to keep dry

Nike’s knowledge of athletics is undisputed, so maybe this isn’t a great example, but this social media strategy identifies the brand as having an unrivalled knowledge of long distance running and therefore becoming a credible choice when the user is deciding to invest in a new pair of running shoes.

Maybe a better example would be for a high ticket item, something like a Bianchi road bike, which priced at £700+ is a much more consider purchase. By offering advice on training and bike maintenance the customer’s confidence in the brand is increased, as Bianchi demonstrate their wealth of knowledge. Creating a relationship and dialogue with potential and existing customers, as mentioned earlier, also offers the opportunity to up sell, as the user becomes more dependent on the brand to achieve their goal e.g. the Bianchi medium distance training schedule offers kit for the maintenance of bikes that are regularly being put through their paces at these distances.

And obviously this strategy offers brand loyalty, as the user feels that they have been well looked after and have become dependent on the brands social media offering to complete the task that they have bought the product to achieve.

We love partnerships between brands and the partnership between Nike and James Jarvis is no exception. The site looks great and the animation is fantastic.

As the guys in the office would testify I love Nike iD and they’ll be happy to know that I’m just as in love with their new offering for the Nike Air Troupe.
The site is great as you would expect, but most astoundingly and of extreme scientifical note Nike have somehow created a black hole within the site , as I managed to loose 2 hours of my Sunday afternoon designing trainers when I could have sworn I’d only been on the site for 30 minutes?

The concept of the site is for individuals to design their own pair and then challenge other designers from around the world, with the winner receiving their uniquely designed pair of Troupes and €300 to spend on Nike id.

The site offers organic growth through social media with designers challenging or just showing off their designs to their network of friends in Facebook and MySpace, either through messaging or embedding the widget. As an open sourced widget the individual can monitor where their design is currently ranked in real time, without having to login and access the Troupe site. Nike have created the widget to exist within sites and platforms that are visited frequently, to promote brand awareness and product placement, ideal when you consider that at £85 a pair these trainer won’t be a rash purchase.

Check out the site:
http://niketroupebattle.com/