Masters of Scale

Nike’s Phil Knight: How to sell without selling

Nov 10, 2020

Phil Knight, the co-founder and former CEO of Nike, shares insights on branding and identity. He emphasizes the importance of authenticity over aggressive selling, stressing the need to match products with passionate consumers. Knight reflects on Nike's evolution from focusing solely on elite athletes to appealing to everyday individuals, driven by innovative marketing strategies. He discusses pivotal moments, like Michael Jordan's influence and bold campaigns supporting social issues, showcasing how Nike built a legendary brand by staying true to its ethos.

35:40

Episode guests

Phil Knight

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

Sneakers and Brand Loyalty

6min

From Distributor to Innovator: The Birth of Nike

10min

Nike's Marketing Evolution

10min

Nike's Bold Marketing Evolution

8min

Innovation and Identity: Nike's Journey of Growth

5min

Great branding is about identity – and it’s about matchmaking too. No one knows this better than the legendary co-founder of Nike, Phil Knight. When he and his partner, Hall of Fame track coach Bill Bowerman, started the sneaker company, they never tried to force-feed customers a product just to drive up the bottom line. They focused on one thing: making an excellent product for people who believed in the edgy Nike ethos. Because they knew, when there’s a mismatch between product and market, the bottom usually drops out. Instead, they told the world who the are, and then did everything they could to find their ideal customers. And made history. Cameo appearance: Eddy Lu (GOAT).

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