The Inside Scoop on How To Become a Nike Brand Ambassador
The sure size of Nike opens up a a wide variety of opportunities for people who love sports and want to work within the industry. No wonder representing the sportswear giant and becoming a Nike brand ambassador is a position many athletes aspire to achieve one day.
Justifiably so, Nike is a household name in the world of sportswear. The company’s products continue to dominate the global market for athletic apparel today as they have since it began in 1964. Nike’s primary product line is still footwear, but shoes are by no means the only thing the company offers.
In their own words,
NIKE isn’t one product. NIKE is a mindset. It’s a do-more, go-further attitude about life. It’s about pushing limits and breaking boundaries. It’s about creating the future. (NIKE CAREERS)
If you’re into basketball, soccer, running, hiking, or any other type of sport, you might have wondered how to get sponsored by Nike. You could have the potential to represent and become an advocate for the Nike brand.
The Nike ambassador program is the perfect opportunity for those who want to become brand evangelists for a company. As a Nike athlete, you’ll be exposed to different cultures, meet interesting people, and get involved in activities that are important to the brand.
That said, becoming a Nike brand ambassador is more challenging than it sounds. To succeed as an ambassador, you must be passionate about the brand, have excellent communication skills, and be willing to put in the time and effort necessary to succeed. Companies often appoint new ambassadors after conducting extensive research on potential recruits. In some cases, they will choose interviewees based on their appearance and track record (literally, how fast they run).
Here is everything you need to know about how to become a Nike brand ambassador. Challenge your skills and see whether you have what it takes.
What is a Nike brand ambassador?
Nike ambassadors are people who represent Nike in a professional capacity to various communities throughout the globe. The primary function of brand ambassadors is to promote products and drive sells for Nike by using social media and networking channels.
Similar to other companies, Nike has pros and athletes who work to represent the sports giant in the best possible light. Ambassadors for Nike aren’t typical employees. They fall into the category of influencer or independent contractor. Thus, you have a lot of flexibility and control over what you do, when you do it, and with whom you work.
What does it take to be a brand ambassador for Nike?
So, you might be asking, how to become a brand ambassador for a powerhouse like Nike? Or more specifically, becoming a Nike brand ambassador is akin to joining a world-class sports team. At minimum, you’ll need to be interested in Nike and its product line. You’ll also need to show a strong aptitude for athletics and a passion for Nike’s mission.
If you’re pondering how to get a Nike sponsorship, it’s essential to know that strong communication skills, as well as a willingness to put in the time, are required to become a Nike sponsored athlete.
As an elite ambassador, you’ll be expected to help spread the word about Nike, especially as part of one of the best fitness ambassador programs available. Through social media, blogging, networking, and other online channels, you’ll share the brand’s message. Additionally, you’re encouraged to attend sporting events and participate in local community initiatives. In exchange for these duties, ambassadors receive many perks, such as the chance to try Nike products for free, early access to new Nike products (like the retro Nike Dunks that are coming out soon), and discounts on Nike apparel.
As an ambassador for the company, you have the opportunity to work with many different Nike teams, including marketing, legal, communications, and product. You can also work with Nike’s training and research teams to help refine Nike’s products and accelerate the development of new ones.
Age requirements
Many athletes wonder how old do you have to be to be an ambassador for Nike? There is no hard fast age requirement to be a Nike ambassador. However, most athletes are older than 18 since reaching the top of your game takes years.
Nike sponsors very few athletes or teams. However, it does have arrangements to provide free or discounted gear to colleges and high schools. In response, the athletes have requirements when representing Nike. For instance, they may need to participate in some tournaments and may also be limited to only wearing Nike apparel while practicing and competing.
How to become a brand ambassador for Nike
Without a doubt, being an influencer or brand ambassador for Nike is a coveted role. Before you can even consider it, you must first live and breathe the company’s core values. Athleticism, competitiveness, risk-taking, and tenacity are at the heart of the Nike brand.
Nike brand ambassadors are considered some of the most influential athletes in their respective sports. Each is selected based on their ability to help promote the Nike brand across all social media platforms and events. Candidates must apply through a referral program. A Nike team member reviews each application.
Endorsement deals allow individuals to represent the brand in an official capacity. All Nike agreements are carefully negotiated and should benefit both parties. The deal may include terms that stipulate a specific period of time, a set amount of money, and/or exclusivity. Nike brand ambassadors have many opportunities to promote the brand, including social media posts, interviews, and appearances at events.
Many also work with Nike to create content for the brand’s online and offline marketing efforts. In addition to a brand ambassador salary, they may receive additional compensation for their involvement in content creation and marketing campaigns.
Steps to become a Nike brand ambassador
Beyond excellence in your sport or attaining celebrity status, people may still become advocates for the brand. If you’re wondering how to become an Instagram brand ambassador for Nike, you must first understand the importance of having a robust social media presence and the ability to update it frequently. Nike will verify the size of your social media following and ensure you have good engagement.
Here are some tips for expanding your social media presence are:
- Just be yourself.
- Do your part and engage with followers.
- Discuss your favorite teams and players with fellow fans.
- Repeated updates are encouraged.
- Always remember to follow brand standards.
Being an ambassador for Nike leverages an athlete’s brand image. Promoting the brand through social media posts, interviews, and other sponsored activations is natural and very effective if the athlete has a devoted following that trusts them. By doing so, the athlete is helping to increase brand awareness and create a positive association with the Nike brand.
Another impact of being a Nike brand ambassador is through the athlete’s own personal brand. The connection opens the opportunity to maintain and enhance their personal brands through the use of their Instagram, Twitter, and other social media accounts. They can use these accounts to share their views, experiences, wins, challenges, and other content to help them stand out in the sports communities.
Finally, the brand ambassador roles absolutely influences product sales. Many companies rely on word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied customers—even Nike. Advocates for athletes to recommend the brand to others, potentially increasing sales for Nike products and bringing new customers into the mix.
Work for Nike
It’s important to note that Nike calls the people who work in their stores “ambassadors.” Therefore, working in one of their stores or head offices is a terrific way to break in.
Is the Nike Training Club and ambassador program the same thing?
We need to clarify something. In addition to its ambassador program, Nike also runs a distinct program called the Nike Training Club, or NTC. Just so there’s no confusion, the Nike Training Club and the Nike Ambassador Program are two very different initiatives.
What is the Nike Training Club? It’s a web-based application designed to keep users accountable by allowing them to plan their workouts and get reminders. The Nike Training Club is more than just another exercise or fitness app. It’s a community of like-minded fitness enthusiasts from around the world. Many of the seasoned athletes and fitness instructors who lead the sessions are also ambassadors.
Get sponsored by Nike
If you want to get a sponsorship from Nike, the only way to do so is for the company to get in touch with you directly. When it comes to endorsements, this is the official stance, as stated on the company’s website.
The athletic clothing giant publicizes that it actively seeks athletes to endorse its products but does not accept applications. The company will not consider requests for sponsorship that Nike has not actively sought out.
Nike is quite guarded about the usage of its brand name due to its extensive success. Because of this, they are picky about the colleges and athletes they sponsor. They only go after teams and athletes that represent high moral and social standards.
As the Greek goddess of victory, Nike also represents triumph. Even the famous swoosh logo ties back to the goddess’s wing. Everything about the brand symbolizes strength, speed, and success.
So, embody success if you want to improve your marketability and increase your chances of landing a Nike sponsorship.
Also, you can get Nike interested in your brand through the use of social media, local/national networking, and pro bono activities.
Nike is equally dedicated to expanding the reach of their global brand. Creating a brand that is appropriate for a particular country’s cultural norms could attract the attention of a major company like Nike.
Famous Nike ambassadors
Now that you know what a Nike brand ambassador is let’s take a look at some of the most famous ones. It’s easy to see that these superstars are in a different league. Their notoriety is very lucrative to the company and it’s easy to get sponsored by Nike. Otherwise, the organization would not shell out millions of dollars in annual endorsements.
Michael Jordon is unquestionably the most well-known athlete and highest paid. But if you look at Nike’s roster of athletes, it’s like a who’s who of sports. Notable athletes include:
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Kobe Bryant
- Kevin Durant
- Maria Sharapova
- Roger Federer
- Deter Jeter
- Tiger Woods
- Serena Williams
- Usain Bolt
Conclusion
If you’re interested in becoming a brand ambassador for a reputable brand, the Nike Brand Ambassador program may be for you. Becoming a Nike brand ambassador is a great opportunity for sports fans to learn more about the industry. Keep in mind that becoming a brand ambassador is not easy and few people ever even have the chance. But the goal of an ambassadorship will bring many other achievements. So go for it and in the words of the famous brand tagline, Just do it!
Feature image: Photo by Dushawn Jovic on Unsplash