Sportswear giant Nike seems to be getting ready to offer its branded trainers and clothing in virtual environments.
Trademarks for virtual items
The sportswear giant filed several new trademarks this week, indicating it wants to start making and selling Nike-branded virtual trainers and apparel. In total, the Oregon-based company filed seven trademark applications “in online and virtual worlds.” These include the brand name itself, the famous slogan ‘Just Do It’ and the distinctive swoosh logo.
According to CNBC, Nike is also looking for specialised staff for the metaverse. The company recently posted several job openings, including one for a “virtual materials designer for footwear”. The opening states that successful candidates will be working as part of the Digital Product Creation group, which focuses on “igniting the digital and virtual revolution at Nike”.
Although the metaverse is getting additional attention with Facebook‘s rebranding to Meta and focusing on virtual technology, Nike has been exploring digital goods for at least two years. In May 2019, the Jordan brand partnered with the popular video game Fortnite, with characters wearing Nike-branded trainers. In addition, Nike has also formed several partnerships with the online gaming platform Roblox.
