Sneakernomics Revisited

About this episode

This episode discusses the changing landscape of the global sportswear industry, focusing on major players like Nike and Adidas and the impact of consumer behavior in China.

The global sportswear market has changed a lot since Down to Business English first covered ‘Sneakernomics’ back in 2019 (D2B 154). Nike and Adidas are still major players, but they are facing new pressure from challenger brands, changing consumer behavior in China, and the rise of domestic competitors like Anta Sports. In this episode of Down to Business English, Skip Montreux and Dez Morgan get Down to Business with the changing landscape of the global sportswear industry. They begin by looking at the major players in the market, including Nike, Adidas, Anta Sports, Lululemon, and Puma. Then they explore why Nike, in particular, appears to be facing headwinds. Dez explains the argument that Nike may have moved too far toward celebrity culture and fashion, and too far away from the sports performance identity that made it so dominant in the first place. They also discuss how Adidas followed a similar path through its high-profile partnership with Kanye West, now known as Ye. The conversation then turns to China, where Nike’s sales have fallen sharply. Skip and Dez discuss the role of weak consumer spending, rising ‘buy local’ sentiment, and the Guochao movement — the ‘National…

People in this episode

Hosts: Skip Montreux, Dez Morgan

Topics covered

• sportswear market
• consumer behavior
• Nike
• Adidas
• Chinese market
• brand competition
• cultural identity

Keywords

• sportswear
• Nike
• Adidas
• consumer behavior
• China
• Anta Sports
• Kanye West
• Guochao
• market competition

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Nike, Adidas, Anta Sports, Lululemon, Puma

Places: China

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