Skip to main contentWhen Beaverton's sneaker-making giant plucked a new CEO from a household-cleaning supply company last month, the move surprised many. But analysts say new chieftan William Perez's success at selling Raid, Glade and Windex make him a logical choice to fill the waffle trainers of Nike icon Phil Knight.
But with traditional sports sales nearly maxed out, the company wants to move into other areas, including skateboarding. Its initial foray under its own brand was doomed by a rebel sport's disdain for all things corporate. This year, the company shut down Savier, its attempt to create a separate skateboarding identity, and again started selling skate shoes under the Swoosh brand.
Can Perez reverse the mojo? Howard Weiner, whose Old Town skateboard shop, Cal Skate, has served local shredders for nearly 30 years, says how Nike fares in the changing world of skateboarding will say a lot about its ability to grow and adapt in its new corporate era. --Zach Dundas
WW: Why has Nike had such a hard time with skateboarding?
Howard Weiner: In their first attempt, it was a time when strong independent companies dominated our industry. The second wave, they got into a crowded market. There are over 100 skate-shoe companies, and Savier was just another name. In that case, not using the Swoosh probably hurt them, because they had to build a whole new identity.
Have they had any success?
Not with our clientele, but we sell to a hardcore clientele. Now that skateboarding in general is more mainstream, they're probably able to sell more to the general public.
Has there been a change, then, in the business of skateboarding that could give them an entry point?
It was essentially a California-grown industry of entrepreneurs. Over the last five years or so, pieces of it have been bought out by bigger corporate entities. Where you used to have two skateboard shops in Portland, now you have 20--every mall has two or three. Any major sporting-good store will carry skateboarding shoes now, and those stores are more likely to carry Nike.
So what do they need to do?
My suggestion is be part of the community and give back. And Nike has committed some money to Portland skateparks. That bodes well for them.
It seems like Perez's challenge isn't just in skateboarding, but in hockey and dress shoes and other areas. What can he learn from Nike's skateboarding experience?
The challenge is, how do you come in with a large corporate name and get the community to buy in? A company like Nike has the ability to be a leader in whatever community they want to go into, and help those communities. All the different communities they serve, they have to build relationships that are specific to that community. They have to be global and local at the same time. And one advantage they do have is the ability to make a lot of mistakes on the way to success.
WWeek 2015