Nike Runner's Lounge
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I have been on a personal boycott of Nike products for a number of years now. The reasoning behind it is probably outdated - Nike got in trouble a while back for some human rights issues (read "sweatshops") in their overseas manufacturing shops, but I haven't heard anything about this for years now... and I could very well be ready to change my mind, thanks to Nike's new Runner's Lounge.
This is really the coolest thing I've heard from a marketing perspective in a long time and is part of the new trend in sales-promotion pop culture: pop-up stores (click here for a story on Nike's marketing strategy). Here's the concept: you cannot buy ANYTHING in the lounge. But you can try out ANYTHING. The idea is that you go into the store, pick out a pair of running shoes, a shirt, shorts, a pair of sunglasses, even an iPod if you want, and you go for a run to try it out (it's all Nike products, of course). When you return, you get a free smoothie, a massage, or a waffle - or all three! You return all the merchandise - they do the laundry for you! - and look for the next product you want to try out next time.
Now I haven't been to one yet, but I've talked with a number of friends who have and who have become Runner's Lounge evangelists. Currently the only ones in North America are in Canada - Vancouver, Toronto, and they're opening one in Montreal this year. But you can guarantee that if I ever get up near one of these places I'm going to check it out - it's too good to be true.
I'd love to hear from anyone who has been in one of these stores - I know I've got a couple of readers who have tried them out. Here is a sort of review from someone who tried out the store in Toronto (it includes a few more pictures). Can you think of any other companies that are pursuing this kind of marketing strategy?
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