How can I get a job at Nike "Online"

June 26, 2008 3:12 AM

How can I get a job at Nike "Online" - I would love to work for one of Nike's websites.

Basically I love Nike (dunks especially) and I am really into online marketing and the use of web sites as a marketing tool and added value to a product - Nike have some sweet sites such as the Nike plus site or Nike football - I would absolutely love to work for them on something like - anyone know where to start? Obviously I have looked through their jobs page but there must be other ways or connections.

In terms of experience I work in e business have a year or two of online marketing and I am developing a football website with an IT friend of mine (I am not techincally capable to program, I do the research and marketing etc for it), it's still a work in progress and no where near finished yet.
Anyway, your advice on the job hunt would be much appreciated.

posted by swisspotter to computers & internet (10 comments total)

I know people that work for the marketing firm that does a lot of Nike's web stuff. The people that work on this project have worked in web development/design for many many (10+) years and generally at other companies which are sports and youth-oriented.

And, not to hurt your feelings, but I doubt that many of the people at Nike, especially in web design, are working at Nike because they like a particular Nike product. Rather it was a job for them.

You may want to think about trying for an internship with either an in-house print/web shop or with a firm that does such work so that you can get some more formal stuff on your resume.

There are big differences between in-house and out-of-house web design, which I can't really speak to...
posted by k8t at 3:47 AM on June 26

Whats the name of the firm(s)?
posted by swisspotter at 3:54 AM on June 26

Nike does all of their hiring through nikebiz.com, so if there is anything available in-house you could find it there. With your limited experience, I would go with k8t's recommendation and try for an internship. I have been to their headquarters with a friend that works for Nike - it's a great place to work. Good luck.
posted by jshort at 4:10 AM on June 26

It might also be worth getting involved in some of the sites dedicated to Nike trainers. There are loads of sites out there that are dedicated to the SB's and dunks.

If its just for the love of the brand helping out one of these sites could be a lot of fun.
posted by moochoo at 4:47 AM on June 26

I don't know if the fact that this company does web stuff for Nike is public knowledge, sorry.
posted by k8t at 4:56 AM on June 26

[link to site removed - put site in your profile if you'd like people to look at it.]
posted by jessamyn at 5:23 AM on June 26

Nike's websites aren't done in-house, they hire ad agencies to do them. I have a friend who has worked on some of their stuff, he works for a well-known agency that specializes in motion graphics/interactive design.
posted by bradbane at 7:30 AM on June 26

Google around for who handles "interactive marketing" for Nike. You can easily find the names of digital agencies.

Wieden + Kennedy Portland has long been Nike's lead creative agency (over 25 years). But other agencies do handle parts of the business (including online).

In more recent times, for online work, they have hired also AKQA and R/GA, with R/GA being the lead digital shop in the US. Also, Nike hired Miami-based Crispin Porter + Bogusky in 2007 to handle its Nike Plus and Nike ID sites. That relationship was recently ended, and that work is going back to W+K, I believe.
posted by kathryn at 10:28 AM on June 26 [1 favorite]

kathryn hit it.

I know someone who worked at Nike marketing. It consisted entirely of managing the outside firms.

Keep in mind that if you did get a job at an agency you would only be working for Nike in the most oblique sense. I have/had friends at both AKQA and R/GA who worked on Nike. They also worked on several other projects at the same time. And people have worked there for years and never touched a Nike project. And the corporate cultures there are different than Nike.

If you still want to apply to an agency, go ahead. However headlining your resume with "Because I love Nike" won't help. Projects and clients come and go. Maybe try for a freelance job with one of them and you'll get lucky, but (Sorry for more bad news) your skill set doesn't have much freelance interest for an agency. Designers, production artists, Flash people and coders are much more in demand.

If you live near Nike HQ, possibly you could intern with them.
posted by Ookseer at 11:52 AM on June 26 [1 favorite]

thank you people - all good stuff!
posted by swisspotter at 2:12 PM on June 26