Nike Isn't Afraid of Competition in the Sneaker Wars
Nike hopes its newest running shoe will help athletes improve their performance, and the company’s vice president of running footwear credits the way the sneaker is manufactured with helping achieve that goal.
“We use computational design, which is informing this pattern that you see on the midsole and outsole, so that’s called our fluid geometry” said Brett Holts in an interview with Cheddar. “What this allows us to do is iterate much quicker.”
“We can take thousands of data inputs from elite athletes, every day runners, our research lab. We can put all those inputs into a computer program, and it spits out an algorithm that gives us this fluid geometry.”
But the competition is heating up. Last year Adidas, which touts its own BOOST technology, overtook Nike’s Michael Jordan-fronted line as the #2 brand in U.S. sports footwear.
Holts, though, isn’t intimidated.
“We feel like [competition] continues to push us, continues to keep us sharp,” he said.
The Nike Epic React Flyknit will be available on February 22 and cost $150.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/inside-nikes-newest-innovation).
Elizabeth Renter, Senior Economist at NerdWallet, breaks down how inflation and oil price shocks are driving higher costs and squeezing consumers today.
David Branch of Wells Fargo explains why cocoa prices are falling but some candy costs remain high and when consumers may finally see relief at checkout.
Colonel Chris Hadfield, astronaut and best-selling author, breaks down Artemis II and why NASA’s next crewed mission is key to returning humans to the Moon.
Ben Geman, Energy Reporter at Axios, explains how the Iran war could reshape global energy—disrupting supply, shifting power, and accelerating a new regime.
Emily Peck, National Correspondent at Axios, explains why office vacancies hit 21% despite RTO pushes, highlighting a lasting shift in how Americans work.