In this project, I first started by doing extensive research about current 3D printing ad campaigns. Throughout the research, I found out that some companies already started using 3D printing techniques in their advertising campaigns, some companies provided their customers the ability to design their own unique 3D models online and helped their customers to print them out, and some companies already placed 3D printer in their stores. In addition, I found out that there are some 3D printing ad agency start-ups emerged and specifically offered 3D printing ad campaigns for companies.
I picked Nike as the company that I want to work an ad campaign for. Then, I conducted deep research for Nike’s marketing strategies. I found out that Nike has some new marketing strategy changes nowadays, such as focusing more on social media, teenagers and edgy designs. In addition, Nike also use high technology to develop some new digital products for its customers to use for checking their work-out performance, such as Nike+ Sportwatch and Nike+ Fuelband.
Nike also offers a new service on their website, called NIKEID, to allow customers to customize their shoe. I believe, when combining 3D printing with this, it can move this service steps further and even change the shoe industry.
In spite of new changes, there is still a emotional branding strategy Nike uses all the time — Heroism:
Nike advertising uses the emotional branding technique of Heroism to inspire incredible customer loyalty all over the world. The hero starts from humble beginnings, challenges a foe greater than him/her, and against all odds, prevails. Nike’s branding strategy takes the emotional marketing story of the Hero and turns it inward. It shows the struggles that goes on in everyone’s head — between lazy you and healthy you, this internal battle brings Nike relates to everyone. Then, it will tells you to be the hero, be faster. Just do it.
After research and all the hard work I’ve done, I come up with an idea of using 3D printer to make a kind of shoe that fits customers’ feet exactly, according to the scan or mold of their feet. Besides, customers can also decide the appearance and material they want, by using NIKEID in nike.com.
After I come up with this idea, I did deeper research, I found out that Nike has already introduced its new Nike Vapor Ultimate Cleat American football boot, which combines 3D knitting (what Nike calls its proprietary flat knitted Flyknit technology) and 3D shoe printing to give players an athletic shoe that delivers both lightweight speed and strength. By integrating 3D knitting with 3D shoe printing, Nike is giving athletes shoes that have a second-skin, sock-like fit that adapt to each individual player’s foot as well as to his style of play, helping athletes perform at their highest level. After doing this big technology breakthrough, that’s why I think Nike can take a step further and make my idea possible.
Finally, I used Sketch-up to make a mock sneaker design, and also made an Ad Campaign for Nike to promote this idea.
Moving forward, I think Nike can use “Reactive blueprints” technology to make a big leap in 3D printing shoes.
Reactive blueprints is a special technology, mentioned in the textbook, that 3D Printing can reach in the future. Reactive blueprints technology makes designers able to produce 3D printing products that can adapt their shapes to different environment automatically, even though the designers have no knowledge about those environments.
Therefore, In the future, Nike can use this technology to make 3D Print Sneaker one step further. It can make the sneaker able to sense the temperature of people’s feets, and adjust the inner temperature of the shoes to make people feel as comfortable as possible, no matter in hot summer or cold winter.
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