Nike, the iPhone, and not being lazy

The first day of school and the beginning of a new year have one thing in common: lots of people making the resolution to hit the gym and get into shape. I am one of those people, but usually my new found enthusiasm lasts for about a month before I fall back into my slacker ways. After a summer that was filled with a little too much beer and red meat, I'm trying to motivate myself to get into shape.

The ever growing world of apps has expanded into the field of getting into shape. Nike is one of the leaders at producing apps to encourage people to work out. The Nike+ GPS app tracks your daily jogs. NikeWomen Training Club builds a fitness program for you on your smart phone, while Nike Football+ Master Control is designed to help soccer players train using a training regime developed by the coaches and trainers at the legendary Barcelona FC.

The app that interested me the most was the Nike Boom app. This app allows you to sync playlists from your iPhone with a workout routine. You select the sport that you're training for, the amount of time you plan on working out, and the type of workout you are doing. The app bases the music select on the intensity of the workout. Sports figures, tailored to the sport that you selected, chime in throughout your workout to provide tips and encouragement. Lebron James tells you how to best train for basketball, while Mike Krzyzewski, the legendary Duke University basketball coach provides general training tips.

Nike provides this app through the iTunes App Store free of charge. The question is why? The program doesn't directly sell Nike shoes or clothes. They're not making money from the app. The answer is that it provides good PR for Nike and spreads its brand recognition into the new frontier of apps. People who workout and train for sports are Nike's prime target audience, so providing a workout app is a logical move. Nike is using the four principles of persuasion by providing this app.

Action

Nike is making it easier and more streamlined for people to use their smart phones while working out. Instead of having to open a playlist in the music section of the phone and then open a workout plan app, Nike has combined the two into one easy to use app. Using the app also provides motivation for people to hit the gym, where they might use Nike products.

Identification

The identification principle is all about "what's in it for me". Nike Boom gives users an easy way to program their workout into their smart phone. They don't need to create a workout playlist, as the app does that for them. It also provides relevant training tips for the workout that the user is taking part in. It just makes the process easier and that answers the "what's in it for me" question.

Familiarity and Trust

Nike Boom utilizes the familiarity and trust persuasion principle extremely effectively. The Nike brand and the "Swoosh" logo are internationally recognized. There is a huge familiarity with Nike among the target audience for this app. If this app had been released as a generic workout app, without the Nike brand attached, it likely would not be that popular. The inclusion of Lebron James and Mike Krzyzewski, and other sports figures, gives some legitimacy to the tips and encouragement required. These are two world class sports figures who have well recognized brands and are renowned for their knowledge in the basketball world. Lebron is one of the most popular basketball players in the world, while Krzyzewski has coached Duke to four national championships and Team U.S.A. to an Olympic gold medal.

Clarity

The Nike Boom app is easy to use and easy to understand. It has a clean interface and makes use of the Nike logo and images of people like Lebron and Krzyzewski. A bold stop watch is in the top corner, counting down the workout time. It appears that it is extremely easy to input your workout information into the app. It looks like Nike has done a lot to make this app user friendly.

At the end of the day, this app is nothing but a PR and advertising tool for Nike. But that's ok. It provides a valuable tool for people who want to workout, while spreading Nike's brand to a new technological area.

I might have to grab it. Maybe it will make my workout period last more than a month for a change.