Swooshed: How Nike and the City of New York could potentially change the landscape of city branding through apparel licensing agreements

Cities across the United States are increasingly implementing branding into their strategic plans. Several municipalities are finding creative ways to do so, paced by New York City's 2019 licensing agreement with sportswear giant, Nike. The city (via NYC & Company) and Nike entered into a 2-year agreement that is claimed by Nike as the first known partnership of its kind. The contract allows the sportswear company to produce footwear and apparel with nearly all the city's likenesses, with product release subject to the city's approval. Buoyed by an analysis of relevant public and place branding literatures, this Viewpoint analyzes the cultural ties that serve as the foundation of the relationship between the two entities and the potential impact of non-financial elements to consider within the agreement. The article offers questions that practitioners should ponder when deciding to enter licensing agreements when opportunities become available. Evidence for Practice: Promoting tourism and commerce are just two ways that cities can expand brand recognition. Licensing provides another opportunity while simultaneously adding another public revenue stream. Beyond entering a licensing agreement for revenue purposes, other elements that administrators must consider include whether the relationship contributes to public value and how the relationship addresses the authentic needs of the community. Practitioners are well served to enter their public entities into relationships with organizations that already preexisting have informal and formal ties to the community in which the licensing agreement is taking place.