The Opportunity
Nike, a global leader in athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment, aimed to deepen its connection with Gen Z. ScholarshipOwl identified a unique opportunity to test how students engage with brands beyond traditional marketing, specifically focusing on driving engagement to brick-and-mortar and online retail destinations.
Our Approach
ScholarshipOwl designed and executed a test scholarship campaign, imaginatively titled the "Nike Scholarship," to explore a novel approach to brand engagement. While not directly run by Nike, this initiative showcased a powerful theoretical model for brands to connect with their audience. The campaign challenged students to: - 🏃 Go to their local Nike store (or explore online). - 📸 Snap a photo of their favorite Nike product (shoes, gear, you name it). - 📝 Submit it with their scholarship application for a chance to win $1,000. This innovative approach transformed a scholarship application into an interactive brand experience, directly encouraging students to engage with Nike's products and retail presence.
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The Outcome:
Nike Brand Experience in Full View
This campaign, run by ScholarshipOwl, effectively demonstrated the power of scholarships as a strategic marketing tool. It provided valuable insights into Gen Z's willingness to engage with brands through unique, interactive initiatives.
Over the campaign period, we achieved remarkable results:
2,564 students submitted images from their Nike store experience, directly fulfilling the campaign's goal of driving brick-and-mortar and/or online retail action.
Insights
Key Market Insights for Nike
This "Nike Scholarship" experiment revealed a significant appetite among Gen Z students (ages 16-24, targeting high school and college students) for engaging directly with brands, even when the primary incentive is a scholarship. The requirement to visit a physical or virtual retail space successfully drove real-world interaction, a challenge many traditional marketing efforts face.
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ScholarshipOwl for Business is pioneering the idea of companies using scholarships strategically to achieve marketing, lead generation, and social impact goals. With access to over 11 million Gen Z students actively seeking scholarships, we can help you create a campaign that truly connects with the heart of your audience.
Ready to create a scholarship campaign that delivers impactful results like this? Contact us today to get started!
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