Nike's Secret Cult Is Not So Secret Anymore

When people think of the word "evangelize," religion usually pops into mind, but have you ever heard of sneaker evangelization? Nike has! According to Who What Wear, Nike allegedly has an official secret cult called EKIN (Nike spelled backwards) that has been around since 1981. I know the thought of it sounds scary, but it's actually an interesting marketing tactic.

Thosee part of the cult are, "product obsessives, who roam around proselytizing on behalf of the Swoosh," according to Sole Collector. Their goal is to help promote the idea of the brand. That doesn't necessarily mean EKINs are sellers pitching actual products, but rather they, "are a product expert and [are] tasked with understanding all the new technologies — understanding who's wearing it, how it's being marketed, how it's being positioned," says Mike Fine, a former EKIN. In other words, an EKIN can be a huge Nike sneakerhead who constantly tells everyone about all the great ideas that go into every single Nike kick that exists. The tactics are sneaky, but I have to admit, they sound pretty effective too.

The cult was originally created by co-founder, Phil Knight who wanted to maintain, "the passion for [the] product that Nike's old guard had would be passed on to future generations." And just by simply looking at its overwhelming popularity across the years, I'd say EKIN is doing a pretty good job.

Images: nike/Instagram (2)