Case Study: Nike boosts women’s brand perception with CoolTool neuromarketing research

Nike - Customer Case Study

Nike partnered with the neuromarketing vendor CoolTool to measure the true subconscious impact of its "Dream Crazier" ad campaign. The challenge was to move beyond traditional surveys to understand how the feminist-themed ad influenced consumers' implicit emotions and perceptions, and to see how these reactions differed between men and women. CoolTool utilized its automated platform, which integrated emotion measurement, implicit testing, and surveys.

CoolTool's solution revealed that while the ad was generally well-regarded, it elicited different responses across genders. Women perceived the ad more positively and, on a subconscious level, their perception of the Nike brand improved significantly after watching. Men found the messaging more contradictory but their brand perception was not negatively impacted. The key takeaway for Nike was that the ad successfully made women feel pride and increased their respect for the brand, achieving its core goal despite not provoking overtly strong positive emotions.

Nike