sport

This year, marketing efforts for everything from skincare to fragrance targeted new cohorts — Gen Alpha, male athletes, pet owners, “MomTok” — and across more channels than ever.

In 2024, the sneaker world was rocked by missteps and management change at Nike, which now faces a difficult turnaround as challengers like On and Hoka continue their assault. Meanwhile, fashion’s fixation on sport reached a new pitch at the Paris Olympics and shows no signs of letting up.

An independent investigation commissioned by The Fair Labour Association — a human rights monitoring organisation that counts Nike as a member — identified several “significant issues” in a long-standing case of alleged wage theft.

New CEO Elliott Hill outlined his plan to turn Nike around as the company battled through another challenging quarter. There are signs of progress, but it’s going to be a long road back.

Sneaker giants often have a ‘cheat code’ for tie-ups with indie designers, insiders say, reflecting a lack of innovation among legacy players in the industry.

The company’s third-quarter earnings call will provide one of the first opportunities for CEO Elliott Hill to lay out his turnaround plan.

Athletes are increasingly getting into fine fragrances, but so far indie fragrance brands haven't returned the favour. That may change as they realise sports stars offer access to a burgeoning new consumer market for scents: young men.

The sports brand is letting Manchester City fans create their own designs for the team’s uniform — no drawing skills needed — with one design to become the club’s third kit for the 2026 season.