Sport equipment companies invest in innovation

Nike is the leader of the sport equipment companies. This success can be explained by a strategy based on innovation. The company invests a lot in research and development. Indeed, the brand innovate constantly and accumulate more than 8.000 patents in all sectors such as athletic tights in anti-skid
ding fabric, ultra-flowing hoodies, cushioning soles … . But the main innovations are focus on sneakers.  The most famous innovation is obviously the Air sole created in 1980 but still popular.

Nike has also created an innovative sole which allows the user to have the impression of walking barefoot. To stay attractive and competitive, Nike presents four collections per year, this create the impression of a constant renewal.

Designs are created in the “innovation kitchen” where 600 experts are working, this is more than all the researchers of the five most important competitors. This place is well secured and only employee and athlete are permitted to come in. Sportsmen are under contract with Nike, they tell the brand what they need and test the products.

Recently the brand even created shoes that lace themselves. (see the link below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xcxn7pOYCg

By the way, Adidas also trust in innovation. The brand wants to create the future of the sports by solving the needs of athletes. This aimed to improve the practice of sports. Recently, Adidas create a sustainable shoe with Parley for the oceans. This shoe has been created with plastic waste which came from oceans. The group act to sensible consumers to use new recyclable substances.
Those straegy of innovation allow the two brands to be most important sports equipment in the world. 

Sources: http://www.adidas-group.com/en/brands/adidas/shaping-future-sport/

http://www.capital.fr/enquetes/succes/nike-a-mise-des-milliards-dans-l-innovation-et-ca-lui-rapporte-1146031

Team 4: Florine Bonduelle, Shensheng Dai, Arthur Jourdan, Erin Palmeter, Joséphine Peyre