According to L'Équipe, Nike CEO Elliott Hill sees the World Cup as a key opportunity to reshape the brand's momentum.
In October 2024, Elliott Hill returned to lead Nike. He is very familiar with the brand, and his mission this time is to steer Nike out of crisis. On May 30, he appeared at the Champions League final to support Paris Saint-Germain and advance the renewal of their existing cooperation, which currently lasts until 2032.
Nike still faces many obstacles to turning things around: over the past year, Nike's revenue has decreased by $5 billion, about €4.3 billion; the rate of revenue and profit margin decline has slowed but not stopped. Against this backdrop, the American sportswear brand faces an important milestone: the football World Cup will be held in North America from June 11 to July 19.
After restructuring its departments around various sports, Nike has launched new jerseys and boots, released a star-studded advertising campaign, introduced the "X2" capsule collection, and collaborated with creators from multiple countries, including French designer Jacquemus, to create lifestyle products. This summer, Nike will provide equipment for France, Brazil, England, the United States, and eight other national teams: the Netherlands, Croatia, Norway, Canada, Turkey, Uruguay, Australia, and South Korea. More importantly, the World Cup needs to help Nike present its "Sport Offense" strategy, which is expected to help Nike regain its undisputed global leadership in sports.
Asked whether the World Cup is the ideal time for Nike to restart, Hill said: "This is a huge opportunity. We can showcase innovation on the pitch through jerseys and boots, and also connect with young people on a cultural level. This is great for us, for North America, and for football."
Hill said: "Some 16- to 18-year-olds only focus on football, but others also like sports in general, music, and fashion. During this World Cup, we also hope to connect beyond football."
Regarding his repeated emphasis on putting athletes back at the center of everything, Hill said: "Our football division has done a lot of work to understand the environment where athletes will compete. The weather will be very hot. Thanks to an innovation, our match kit is 200% more breathable than the previous generation. This technology can also be used in running, tennis, and other sports. In terms of boots, we will relaunch three models during the World Cup. We just released the new Mercurial, and the feedback is very positive. The goal is to enable players to perform at their best without worrying about their boots or equipment."
Hill continued: "You will also see that through 'Sport Offense,' we aim to always serve athletes, providing them with all the tools they need to prepare before, during, and after the game. This is also one of the ways we present ourselves to fans."
Asked whether competitive performance has become a priority again, Hill replied: "It's the top priority! And it's not just about innovation. Some 16- to 18-year-olds only focus on football, but others also like sports in general, music, and fashion. During this World Cup, we also hope to connect beyond football. For example, our X2 capsule collection is designed to achieve this goal."
Asked whether Nike had ever forgotten the concept of competitive performance, Hill said: "I don't think so. We have always wanted to invest in serving athletes, but the level of investment and execution may have varied. However, I am very proud of everything our football team has accomplished and can't wait to share these results with global consumers."
Asked about the advertising campaign this summer, Hill said: "The warm-up phase showed Polaroid photos of the characters in our commercials, which is the starting point for storytelling. Boots allow us to talk about competitive performance and innovation, while X2 allows us to talk about culture and football. Toma is also important; it's a street football event for young people, held in nearly 25 cities around the world. One of those young people also appears in our commercial. The key now is to connect with young people both online and offline. Through sports and culture. This is crucial."
Hill said: "Nike's story in football has always revolved around a free, fast, and fearless playing style. Whether it's the 'Good vs Evil' commercial in 1996, the Brazilian team's airport commercial in 1998, or 'The Mission' in the early 2000s, it's not just about making a commercial, but creating content that leads to the commercial, making young people click, share, and get inspired."
Regarding Nike starting its World Cup communication later than other brands, Hill explained: "This was a strategic decision. This World Cup will be the longest ever. We are embarking on a 12-week journey. What matters is not being the first to appear, but being the best, offering the richest content and stories. Adidas has done a great job. We play our own cards."
Asked whether going all in on football is a way for Nike to restart in Europe, Hill said: "Of course. In Europe, football clearly has core cultural significance. It is the sport. Our investment in marketing and innovation helps the brand appear authentic. We want to talk to consumers both on and off the pitch."
Asked whether fashion opening up to football is an opportunity, Hill said: "The intersection of football and culture has never been stronger. Football is entertainment, so it attracts people with diverse interests. It is no longer a single culture. In Brazil or Asia, football culture is completely different. Our job is to enter these communities."
Regarding the risk of moving further away from competitive performance, Hill said: "No, because everything starts with competitive performance and the pitch. If our equipped athletes cannot perform at the highest level, everything else is unimportant. We were born to serve athletes, and our existence is to serve athletes. This is the priority. Our products must also function at the highest level. For example, if we hadn't launched the Mercurial for Ronaldo in 1998, and he hadn't won the 2002 World Cup wearing it, it would just be a pair of colorful boots. The Cryoshot we are launching now is important because it has the Mercurial story behind it. Young people need to understand this story because they have never seen Ronaldo playing in Mercurial, and telling this story is our job."
Asked what it means to "win the World Cup culturally," Hill said: "It's not just about market share. Everything will depend on visibility. How many young consumers truly embrace the content we create and the stories we tell? And how do they spread these stories within their social networks and beyond?"
Regarding whether Nike values national teams more than clubs, Hill said: "Clubs are equally important. We are interested in football because it is the most global sport. If you only bet on one dimension, you can't become influential in football culture. You need clubs, associations, and athletes so that your boots appear on the pitch. All three are equally important. We are not in football to participate; we are here to dominate."
Hill continued: "Our actions are very prudent, especially in grassroots projects. Because we must have the ability to create the future of this sport, discover young players in Toma who could become the next Mbappé, Vinícius, or Valverde. This foundation must be maintained. We are also working with associations, such as the U.S. Soccer Federation, with whom we just opened a new national training center."
Asked how to evaluate Nike's current strategy in an increasingly competitive market, Hill said: "We launched 'Sport Offense' to organize Nike, Jordan, and Converse around different sports. Nike's football general manager, almost president, Camilo Andrade, has a team that focuses solely on male and female football players every day. They need to ensure we have the right products and the right stories, so that these ultimately bear fruit in the market. They know consumers very well and competitors very well. This is necessary because competition in football is different from running, tennis, or golf. Returning to a model organized by sport will not only help us serve athletes better but also make us more competitive."
Asked whether it's harder to attract consumers, Hill said: "This question still has room for discussion. We still have a strong cultural connection with young people. This World Cup, the related stories, and the way we tell them will give us a better understanding of our visibility and how consumers identify with our brand. In sports, it's harder to have loyal consumers because they have more choices, more information, and are more discerning. But that's also our advantage: as a company known for innovation, we will be able to regain their trust."
Asked whether other brands have long wanted to be in Nike's position and whether that is still the case, Hill said: "Why not? Everyone is competing for market share. We welcome competition. Competition makes us stronger and better. The ultimate winners are consumers and athletes because they will get better products, more innovative products, better narratives, and more culturally impactful moments."
Asked whether in the market between sports and fashion, the leader is the one with the largest economic size or the brand that inspires others, Hill said: "Everyone hopes to inspire each other. Leaders in an industry or a sport, whether in competitive performance or lifestyle, are often imitated. And it is precisely those brands with the highest economic value that occupy the leading position. This also partly explains why we often talk about our raison d'être. Our job must be to continuously innovate in everything we do, whether in competitive performance or lifestyle. Undoubtedly, the World Cup is a key moment and a real opportunity to showcase our capabilities."
Asked whether French athletes like Victor Wembanyama and Kylian Mbappé could help Nike this summer, Hill said with a smile: "I was with Wembanyama in San Antonio last Sunday. I've also met Mbappé several times. We are proud that they are part of the Nike family. France can be proud of them. We'll see what happens this summer."
