• by Karl Greenberg , Staff Writer, October 18, 2008

"Don't Tell Me" says Hidalgo of Nike.  "You can no longer broadcast to the consumer. The young consumer is not sitting on the couch waiting for Nike to say something.  There used to be time where we were in control of the brands. Those days are gone.   How do we give them a voice?"

NikeiD, the in-store and online shop where consumers can design their own shoes, derived from consumers not wanting things made for them, but wanting to create things themselves, a trend exemplified by brands like "YouBar," a web site allowing consumers to create their own nutrition bars, or another site that Hidalgo insists is real: CrushPad, where you can design your own wine.

Let me play like this. kids still want to play. , they want to play digitally as well, and they dont differentiate between real world and virtual world.  At Nike we think it's good bcause it's alla bout sports.

last fundamental change: consuemrs dont want more stuff, they have a lot of the things they want and buying more things won't make themhappier.  they want more experiences, things about their goals.  How can we innovate and provide service where consumer says "wow"

NikeiD, Nike's customization engine for product launched in 1999.  "We decided to get into this space because we knew when you put design into hands of consumer it leads them down the path to attachment and ownership in the brand."

Then Nike took the concept off the web and into retail.  "We realised there was power in combining digital, consumer and expert.  We basically put a customization boutique in an appointment only venue, and then we launched it at retail. NikeID in NikeTown NY, was first two years ago.  "Now we have twenty one around the world. They account  for 25% of footwear business in retail."