Abstract:
The transition of active wear into a luxury, multi-facet lifestyle industry has tremendously steered the sports industry, fueling athleisure brands to functionally innovate in style (Luxe Digital, 2021). Nike is no exception to this. Athleisure brands play an enormous role in social movements that promote, inspire, and represent a healthy lifestyle. Whilst global movement has been in celebration of sportsmanship for both men and women, society and athleisure brands continuously dismiss maternity athleisure and have failed to translate their brand communication strategies to be of representation for motherhood with the sports industry.
This research paper aims to explore how movement marketing, a brand-fueled marketing approach that is invested in the social integration to powerfully be the voice of a societal issue that transcends into the brand’s culture (Deloitte, 2017); can communicate and reinforce a purposeful yet compelling brand solutions that embrace the strength of mothers within the sports industry. The research paper employed an exploratory research approach in which qualitative data was collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews to gain comprehensive, subjective yet conveying perspectives of mothers in understanding the perceived relationship of brand culture and brand activism to the pursuit of cultural representation of motherhood in sports(Smith and Hanover 2016; Maree, 2020; Perry, 2021).
Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data and establish themes that providehow consumer insights and attitudes could influence the success of movementmarketing campaign (Bezuidenhout and Cronje, 2014; Strawberryfrog, 2020). Thefindings indicated how Nike’s brand culture embedded in their first maternitymovement marketing resonated with consumers.
As a result, Nike’s brand extension is portrayed as a visual imagery that aims toeducate, empower, and embrace the strength of mothers. The campaign wasconsidered a success to appeal, cultivate a resilient community of mothers, and ignitethe importance of representation of women in society that attracted attitudinalattachment and behavioural loyalty of mothers (Cunningham, 2021). The Nike (M)campaign provided consumers with inspiration to increase engagement and purchaseintention/advocacy, while illustrating to researchers and other brands the importance
of embedded innovation to movement marketing on the brand’s equity.
