In the next logical evolution of Nike+, new technology is allowing athletes to sync their workout statistics to their iPhones in real time. The above spot from prodco Conscious Minds demonstrates how the
Billige Nike Free Run, Lunar TR1+, and Lunar Hyperworkout+ use special sensors to calculate ballers’ vertical jump, quickness, and the made-up “Nikefuel” metric at the L.A. Live event last month.
The campaign also includes a social component, utilizing the #GAMEONWORLD hashtag on Twitter and the like. While something like this makes sense for “real” athletes, it will be interesting to see how many regular civilians will buy these special shoes to measure their lack of ability. Still, if Nike decides to take this pretty nifty product demo on the road, it will settle a lot of bets between braggadocios.
Beats by dre In other words: Nike should really consider bringing this to bars.
For additional slow-motion dunkatude, watch some dude named “Jus Fly” display his 42″ vertical here and visit the Nike+ site here.
There's e-commerce, and then there's...this: A pair of Nike sneakers designed by Kanye West auctioning for $90,300 on eBay.
The shoe in question: the limited edition Air Yeezy 2. It officially goes on sale Saturday for a retail price of $245. Less than 5,000 pairs will be released by Nike, and the scarcity clearly has hardcore sneaker collectors in a tizzy.
A number of pre-ordered pairs have been up for auction on eBay, with bidding in the mid four figures, but it's seller pinoyako4life who's hit the biggest jackpot by far.
He (or she) originally posted the shoe with a starting price of $0.99 on May 30. By the next day, bidding had topped $3,500. By June 5, it had hit five figures, and then things really started to heat up. One user offered $10,200, then came back 20 minutes later and offered $20,000. The same user eventually tapped out later that day after offering $49,999. The next bid for the shoes was $70,000 and price the kept escalating until a user identified only as a***1 swooped in at the last minute on June 6 with the winning bid of $90,300.
Amputee athletes are running faster than ever, thanks to hi-tech carbon fiber sports prosthetics. Now Nike has designed a shoe called the
Nike Free Run Dam Sole for those prosthetic running blades.Designed to work with the ossur Flex-Run blade, the Sole was a collaborative effort between Nike and triathlete Sarah Reinertsen. Like a normal running shoe, the Sole has an outsole and a midsole, and grips the carbon fiber blade with a material called Aeroply. Nike’s engineers even devised a clever system to secure the Sole to the blade, using an anchor and a rubber strip.
While it’s easy to dismiss this as either a cynical cash-in or an attempt to grab some good publicity, the Sole shows that a level of social acceptance and technological advancement where formerly insurmountable challenges now have consumer-grade solutions. I think we’re getting closer to the future, folks.
That might be a bit harsh. The Taliban are known the world over.
Yet, Nike has fallen into the trap many American companies face. What sounds normal to your American customers can offend elsewhere.
After days of controversy,
Sac Longchamp Pas Cher has said sorry, noting the nickname for the shoe is “unofficial” and only used by some people.
But look online and on YouTube and it's clear the shoe is being described as ‘black and tan’ as a wink to a drink of mixed Irish stout and pale ale, a drink known as ‘black and tan’ apparently. That’s new to me.
To be clear, the shoe is, well, black and tan, and has an Irish stout pint glass on the insole. It was being publicized ahead of St. Patrick’s Day.
With all that, you might think someone would have Googled the term, even if it’s not the official name of the shoe. Back in 2006 Ben & Jerry’s had a ‘black and tan’ flavored ice cream and got into hot water for the same reason,
Nike Free Run 3 even though Ben & Jerry’s said it was also named for a mixed drink of stout and pale ale.
What seems to be lost on those using the term casually is that the ‘Black and Tans’ were a British paramilitary force that terrorized Ireland during the early 1920s. You simply would not order a ‘black and tan’ drink anywhere on the island.
I go back to the fact that Nike did not officially call these skate boarding shoes ‘black and tans’, it was just an obvious term given the colors of the shoe. Fair enough. But these days of social media and instant conversation, companies have to keep on top of these things 24/7 or pay the price in the media and online.
