Nike was the goddess of victory in Greek mythology, Nike as a brand just proved that it got strong believes in human diversity and cultural competence than some political leaders.
Nike just introduced a performance hijab for Muslim women athletes and it’s called the “Nike Pro Hijab”.
The new Nike spring 2018 Pro Hijab Collection sends a strong message about the nobility of sport that shouldn’t differentiate between any skin color, gender or race.
Sports only knows passion, ambition and dedication.
Nike do not believe in Islam, Nike believes in Market Insights!
If marketers have one lesson to learn from the Nike Pro Hijab. It should be about how a brand should adapt itself and the products offered to meet the customers’ need. We shouldn’t expect the consumers to change their lives to meet the brand’s product or fashion line!
Empowering women with more than just a product, but rather a solution to their needs while both professional and everyday Muslim athletes helped create the Nike Pro Hijab.
Do you remember the huge social media buzz during Rio Olympics about Egypt’s Beach Volleyball player in hijab?
Back in Rio 2016 Summer Olympics, Doaa Elghobashy and her partner Nada Meawad made history as they played in the Copacabana beach court, becoming Egypt’s first ever Olympic team to compete in a beach volleyball tournament.
The social media buzz was not about the historic event for Egypt’s beach volleyball team. The buzz started when Team Egypt’s Doaa Elghobashy appeared in hijab on the beach volleyball court!
Instead of just watching the game, some insightful minds should have spotted an opportunity to open new markets and develop a new product lines for consumers who are already ready to use!
Nike the sportswear giant knows how to innovate to inspire, develop and introduces not just products but adventures, experiences.
In Nike’s pursuit of enhancing every Muslim female athlete’s life, it has just came first in the innovation race, channeling the Greek Goddess of Victory (Nike) and winning over millions of Hijab-wearing women all over the world, not only in the Arab world.
Nike Hijab Commercial
Nike-sponsored Olympic weight lifter Amna Al Haddad from the United Arab Emirates helped inspire the company to develop the hijab after she had difficulty finding a head covering that was comfortable and would adhere to competition standards, according to the New York Times. Haddad appeared in a Nike advertisement in April 2016, wearing a hijab without a logo. Now Nike’s signature swoosh is displayed prominently on the side of the Pro Hijab.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51EafVvqrxY
2 days before International Women’s day 2017, The official YouTube channel of Nike Women released an advert asking a rhetorical, discouraging question that is often asked whenever a female is going to do something “against the norm” of the society.
There is always this fear of what will the people say about her doing this or that. Following one’s passion is up to the public’s opinion.
The advert gained 922K viewership, was shared 5K times and has 26K likes.
“The film aims to highlight the stories of amazing athletes to encourage and inspire others,” Hind Rasheed, Nike’s communication manager in Dubai, told CNN.
The advert features Emirati figure skater Zahra in the sportswear and also, Tunisian fencer and Olympics medalist Ines Boubakri, Emirati Parkour trainer Amal Mourad, Saudi singer Balqees Fathi and Jordanian boxer Arifa Bseiso.
Nike Pro Hijab Spring 2018 Collection:
After the release of the advert and on the International Women’s Day, Nike released a statement announcing their new Pro Hijab Collection will be available in the Spring 2018 Collection.
The much awaited sportswear from Nike after the Plus size collection, Hijab wearing athletes were always facing an extra challenge with training in their normal garment’s weight, the potential for it to shift during action and its lack of breathability disrupted their focus.
So Nike has developed its first high-performance ‘Pro’ hijab, made from a sportswear mesh fabric, the lightweight polyester features tiny, strategically placed holes for optimal breathability, in neutral colors.
“The Nike Pro Hijab may have been more than a year in the making, but its impetus can be traced much further back, to an ongoing cultural shift that has seen more women than ever embracing sport,” Nike said in a statement.
The Pro Hijab collection is inspired by Sarah Attar, the first female track athlete to compete for Saudi Arabia in the London Olympics in 2012, who finished 800m, Dressed in a long-sleeved green training top, long jogging bottoms and a white hijab. She definitely stood out and she was given a stand ovation as she crossed the finish line, almost a full lap behind the others. Along with, Emirati weightlifting Olympian Amna Al Haddad.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRVISzrBbcQ/
Zahra Lari, the first Emirati figure skater, Dubbed as the “Ice Princess” of the United Arab Emirates. She is one of the athletes featured in the advert as well, she told Nike: “I am covered, I am Muslim, I am from a desert country, but I am doing a winter sport and it’s fine,” She aspires to become a role model through persistence and stamina.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRXYNUkh8kB/?taken-by=manirostom&hl=en
She was one of the athletes who tested the Nike Pro Hijab along with Nike+ Run Club Coach Manal Rostom, the Egyptian Mountaineer.
Nike are not only inspiring hijab-wearing athletes but also, modest sportswear for any athlete. The diversity and inclusion of any athlete* is opening new doors for Nike, as many females were discouraged to train and exercise due to not available modest attire or a preferable solution to their religious practices.
*Nike believes that if you have a body, then you’re an athlete.
Nike inspires everyone to just Do It.
