Original Article By Shirin Ali At TheHill.com
Nike filed patents that suggest the sportswear company wants to begin selling its merchandise in virtual spaces.
- Nike filed trademark applications for its swoosh logo, “just do it” slogan and logos for “Air Jordan” and “Jumpman.”
- The applications suggest Nike wants to sell digital versions of its sneakers, clothing and other goods.
- Last year, Nike received a patent for “CryptoKicks” that would allow it to attach digital assets to a physical product.
Nike is expanding its brand in digital spaces, filing patent applications that could allow it to begin selling digital sneakers and apparel.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Nike filed trademark applications indicating it wanted to sell digital versions of its sneakers, clothing and other goods that would carry its signature swoosh logo. Those items could live in virtual spaces, like video games or other platforms.
Josh Gerben, a trademark attorney, told WSJ that the trademark applications could be a way for Nike to protect its brand and prevent knockoffs from appearing virtually. “Virtual worlds are a new frontier. It will probably become a revenue stream for Nike,” said Gerben
Nike filed applications for not just its swoosh logo, but also for its “just do it” slogan and logos for “Air Jordan” and “Jumpman,” according to CNBC.
Nike’s move to potentially sell its goods in a virtual world complements another digital venture it’s been working on. Last year, Nike was granted a patent for “CrpytoKicks,” blockchain-compatible sneakers that can be used to attach digital assets to a physical product. That means when a consumer purchases a pair of “CrpytoKicks,” they would also receive a unique digital asset with it.
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The concept of “CrpytoKicks,” hints at the growing popularity of non-fungible tokens, NFTs, which are artwork, movies and other forms of digital content being exclusively sold as digital collectibles that are authenticated with blockchain technology.
Nike has collaborated with companies to sell digital assets before, like its partnerships with video game companies Fornite and Roblox, but so far it hasn’t exclusively sold digital assets solely under its own brand.
