Globalization from above and below: Rejecting superficial multiculturalism and igniting anti-Korean sentiment in Japan

Nike Japan’s distribution of a commercial included a message of superficial multiculturalism presented through the narratives of three Japanese girls – ethnic Japanese, “hafu,” and zainichi – who overcome bullying and discrimination through their shared love of football (soccer). The ad demonstrated a glocalized production to fit with the “You Can’t Stop Us” global ad campaign of Nike, a transnational shoe and athletic apparel company. Thus, the ad reflects globalization from above. In response, some Japanese viewers expressed their anger at the ad to voice their grassroots resistance, reflecting globalization from below. The resistance was not against Nike for its transnational exploitation but for its alleged hypocrisy. Most substantially, the resistance was directed against generalized Koreans. Thus, the article argues that globalization from below is not necessarily, or perhaps not even usually counter-hegemonic or anti-transnational capitalism. Instead, grassroots activism takes advantage of moments to process and produce existing ideological meanings.

Estimating the Determinants of NCAA Athletic Department Intellectual Property (Trademark) Rights

Nike Inc. recently signed a trademark-licensing contract with the University of Michigan for nearly US$174 million over 11 years for the rights to be the supplier of athletic apparel and to use the university’s intellectual property (trademark) rights. The focus of this article is to empirically investigate the determinants for trademark-licensing contract values using athletic apparel contract data among NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

Kicks Inc.: Background Information

Kicks Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of athletic apparel and shoes, had plans to launch a new tennis shoe line within the year and was seeking an up-and-coming young athlete to be its spokesperson. Sebastian Martinez had emerged as an ideal candidate, and contract discussions were underway. Six issues need to be resolved to the satisfaction of the six parties involved—the athlete, the athlete’s mother, the athlete’s father, the athlete’s agent, the Kicks brand manager, and an International Tennis Federation representative. This case provides the general information regarding the nature of the issues and the broad interests of the various parties involved. This general background case is supported by individual role cases for each of the six parties. This case and its supporting role cases can be used to (1) develop an understanding of the underlying bases upon which coalitions can be formed; (2) develop an appreciation for the added dimensionality of preparation in multiparty situations; (3) develop an appreciation for the process choices that need to be made; and (4) compare and contrast appropriate approaches to bilateral versus multilateral negotiations.

Forecasting sponsorship costs: marketing intelligence in the athletic apparel industry

Purpose – Due in large part to the proprietary nature of costs, there is a dearth of academic literature investigating the factors influencing the costs for sport marketing investments, such as sponsorship. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide an analytical framework for market intelligence that enables managers to better predict and forecast costs in today’s ever-changing sport marketing environment. Design/methodology/approach – Given the dynamic and ultra-competitive nature of the athletic apparel industry, this context was chosen to investigate the influence of four distinct factors on sponsorship costs, including property-specific factors, on-field performance, and market-specific factors. A systematic, hierarchical procedure was utilized in the development of a predictive empirical model, which was then utilized to generate predicted values on a per property basis. Findings – Results demonstrated that both property-specific and performance-related factors were significant predictors of costs, while variables reflecting the attractiveness of the property’s home market were non-significant. Further analysis revealed the potential for agency conflicts in the allocation of resources toward properties near the corporate headquarters of sponsors, as well as evidence of overspending by challenger brands (Adidas, Under Armour) in their quest to topple industry leader Nike. Originality/value – Though the context of apparel sponsorships of US-based intercollegiate athletic programs limits the generalizability of the results, this study represents one of the few in the literature to empirically investigate the determinants of sponsorship costs, providing much-needed guidance to aid decision making in a highly volatile, unpredictable industry.