So it’s begun. A month or so of football endeavours with the end result being the crowning of the world champions. Will it be Spain? Brazil? Italy? Dare we say it, England?!
Whatever happens, the dual endeavours of Nike and Umbro will surely triumph over the estranged siblings, Puma and adidas.
Britain’s Umbro has had a resurgence since being augmented by the immence power of the Americans Nike and the once fearsome Germans have crumbled. The World War II analogy was too obvious to ignore but that’s enough of that now.
Yes, so over the last year or so Nike and their recent acquisition Umbro have made mincemeat out of the competition. The kits have generally been far superior to anything else on the market, the first few days of this World Cup have produced a sea of Superfly II Elite’s on the feet of the players and the marketing has taken the two brands to a new level.
The thing is, Nike and Umbro employ geniuses. Perhaps evil geniuses but geniuses all the same.
If we look at rugby football for a second, adidas are incredibly proud to hold the contract for the All Blacks. So proud of this association and with such faith in the commercial rewards, adidas even allow New Zealand to veto their famous three stripes. What a coup for adidas. So what do Nike do? It’s very simple. They take their modest contract with the New Zealand association football team and dress their most burly player, Ryan Nelson, in a black away kit and call some photographers to take some pictures. In one wonderfully unsubtle chess move, Nike show the Kiwis how their rugby team would look in their own creation. But will Nike ever take over the All Blacks deal? Inevitable understates it.
Nike also have used the power of Umbro to accelerate their pursuit of dominance. When the takeover was complete most expected Nike to poach all of Umbro’s most high profile contracts. But Nike are cuter than that. Instead, they funded the new Tailored By concept and left Umbro with enough new (media) marketing ammunition to deliver in the most comprehensive and impressive way. And once Umbro proved themselves with critical and commercial successes such as the last England home and away strips they went straight to the front of Nike’s World Cup kits launch. With John Terry’s indiscretions seriously hampering his marketing value, the focus shifted away from an Umbro boot and shirt wearing icon. No, instead Wayne Rooney’s Swoosh-footed and double diamond-chested brilliance was the key to marrying the two brands in the public’s consciousness. One minute a photoshoot, the next, Nike and Umbro are writing the future.
So to that ad. If you somehow haven’t seen it, I’ve embedded it below because it deserves it, impartiality notwithstanding. It has Gael Garçia Bernal playing Ronaldo! It has a song about Cannavaro with added cabaret dancers! IT HAS HOMER SIMPSON WITH A BRILLIANT USE OF “D’OH!”
Just to note, the World Cup kits Nike and Umbro have released are generally classy and minimalist. Puma and adidas have released tight shirts which are somewhat hit and miss. It’s not one way traffic by any means as, for example, the Japan away in long-sleeved is nigh on perfection, and, back in club football, the upcoming Spurs and Milan releases look fabulous as well. This coupled with Umbro’s shamefully commercial decision to give Linfield an orange away kit (you know what I think of that kind of opportunism) means it not quite time to concede victory.
And remember, we’re all football fans first and foremost so great kits should go hand in hand with success. The manufacturers’ championship mooted is an interesting idea and we shouldn’t forget that it’s what happens on the field of play that gives a kit an edge. But right now, in the design and marketing stakes at least, Nike and Umbro are trouncing their opponents.
