Nike’s Secret Society

The New York Times recently wrote an article about Nike’s massive spending on experiential marketing programs rather than more traditional outlets. From the Times: “Nike increased its spending on traditional media in the United States by 3 percent from 2003 to 2006, to $220.5 million. But in the same period, it increased its nonmedia ad spending 33 percent, to $457.9 million, according to the Advertising Age data.”

Considering that Nike is such a whore, we’re betting that all of you are totally aware of the brands big dollar spending on nonmedia already. Really… how many agencies are doing work for them right now? Our favorite Nike experiential campaign is called Project: Classified, which is a secret workout society and as far as we know, only in New York City. We dig some digging and found out that the agency behind the idea, as well as all the creative is little known shop Project (natch), which is lead by partners Pia Hunter and Sasha Tulchin with Sr. Art Director John Demas.

The shop hand picks 100 women to participate in the pop-up events, which feature the most sought after fitness instructors across the country. According to Nike. “Project: Classified swarms in, permeates a space and then leaves. The venues are unexpected, readapted, overtaken.” The ladies are sent special locks with their invite that features the Project:Classified cicada logo, which is genius as the insects are heard, but not seen and symbolize rebirth and renewal. Anyway, we’re not fitness buffs, so we’re never going to get invited to this thing, but we’re all for it.

Yeah, yeah… Reebok has their Facebook running clubs, but they can’t touch this.

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